Hold Me Close
by animefan106
Summary: Junko Kasumi moved to Japan from America after experiencing a tragic car accident that killed her two younger sisters. There in Japan she meets a red-head boy with sharp, cold eyes that she saw in her dreams. What adventures await Kasumi as she goes through grade school to high school with her soon-to-be childhood friend? AkashixOC Ch 13 UPDATED
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kurko no Basket nor any of their characters. I do own my OC, Junko (last name) Kasumi (first name)._

_Pairing: AkashixOC (Junko Kasumi)_

_A/N: Well then, this is my first OCxCharacter fic so we'll see how this goes. I'm nervous seeing how I created Junko but I'll do my best. Hopefully this doesn't make anyone OOC. Umm... I don't really have anything else to say so let's see how this goes._

_EDIT: Due to some reviews on censorship and maturity of language of a five year old (I wrote it in the middle of the night) I have ted this chapter. On another note, I played Tekken when I was pretty small but I never paid attention to the storyline, just the fighting and the fighting animals. Plus its part of character development for Junko. Yes, Junko is usually a first name but I wanted it to be a last name because I find one of its meaning intriguing, that being 'obedient child'. That's not much of a reason but... Kasumi means misty which made me think of her eyes... kind of. Well, I hope clarifies some on in this chapter. Oh and the point of view is of the older Kasumi looking back into this particular memory._

* * *

**Prologue**

"Come on! We need to go to the county fair now!" hollered my little sister, Sumomi. She waved her hands in front of her round face and chocolate brown eyes. She then ran towards the truck that belonged to our aunt and uncle.

I smiled at her cheeky grin and sweet laughter as I tried to walk towards the truck with our sleeping, baby sister in my five-year old arms.

"Wait Su-chan. The county fair isn't moving," I told her. Sumomi gave a small pout that I saw as cute.

Nadeshiko, our baby sister, stirred in my arms which I took as a signal to rock her back to sleep. Sumomi came over to me and began to lightly pat Nadeshiko's head.

"Shh. It's okay Na-chan. Go to sleep," Sumomi whispered in half English and Japanese. Nadeshiko's squinted eyes relaxed as I rocked her in my arms and Sumomi whispered calming, childish words into her ears. Her baby-soft skin touched my arm and I smiled at the contact. Her muscles were as soft as a fluffy blanket and her black hair was thin, seeing how she was a newborn. The smell of a newborn baby lingered in the air but by now, I have gotten used to it.

"Let's get going girls," said my aunt from the doorway of her white, two-story house. Sumomi again, ran towards the large vehicle while I struggled to walk. Being a petite five year old while carrying a baby was quite difficult. "Want me to help?" my aunt asked. I nodded and happily allowed my aunt to carry Nadeshiko, lifting the weight from my arms. She then walked me to the truck and opened the door for me and Sumomi to enter it. I sat in the middle seat so that I could give attention to both my younger sisters since they sat on opposite sides of the truck.

I sat on my booster seat and helped Sumomi get on her booster seat. Next, I buckled her seat belt and did mine. My aunt adjusted Nadeshiko into her car seat and buckled her in

"When is Mommy and Daddy coming back?" asked Sumomi to our aunt. She was hugging her favorite stuff animal that turned out to be a blue, fuzzy-soft dolphin.

"In a few more days Sumomi. They have to look at the new house where you are going to move to in Japan," explained my aunt.

"Okay!" she chirped.

"What is Japan like?" I asked this time. My aunt gave me a small smile before she closed the door then opened the door to the passenger seat in front of us and sat down.

"Japan is a very pretty place. They have been able to develop a lot of games that you like to play like for the Play Station," explained my aunt.

"Really? That's so cool!" I exclaimed as I thought about my T*kk*n's game for the Play Station. Yes, as a five-year old, I played a violent fighting game on an actual game console. Other than that, I really enjoy watching cartoons like Bl**'s Cl**s and D*r* the Expl*r*r. That was the kind of environment I lived in as I am here in America until after the next few days where I will have to move to Japan with my parents because my father's job transferred him there. What my father did, I didn't know then because I was just a kid who was oblivious to a lot of things.

"Who's ready to go to the county fair?" my uncle asked as he entered the truck.

"We are!" Sumomi and I exclaimed in excitement.

"Good! We better hurry though or else the great white shark will eat us. We have to launch this submarine in 3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Blast off!" My uncle, aunt, Sumomi, and I quietly shouted so that we wouldn't wake up Nadeshiko. When I look back, it was ironic because you usually say blast off when you are in a spaceship going into space.

My uncle started the engine and the truck began moving. I remember the warm, spring sun shone on my face as I embraced the warmth as well as the cool air conditioning in the truck.

"Weee!" Sumomi and I raised our arms and legs as if we were in a roller coaster as we felt the truck move. Each turn the vehicle made was like the slow incline of a roller coaster with the excitement building or the fast decline of the steep slope of the rails as we went down a freeway. We laughed and giggled at the childish plays we did in the truck but that didn't bother us. It was fun.

"So are you ready to play some games over there?" my uncle asked as we could see the county fair in a distance. The ferris wheel stood up high with so many colors on it that the first thing I thought as I saw its round edges and colors was a rainbow.

"Yep! Kasu-nee will play the flute and play basketball right?" Sumomi asked me. That's right. I loved to play the flute despite how it seemed bigger than me and I also enjoyed dribbling a basketball around the court. Being that small, I couldn't fluently blow into a flute nor could I dribble a basketball with such petite hands but I didn't care.

"Yep. Will you watch me play?" I asked.

"Yes, Kasu-nee!" she cheered. It was soon after Sumomi's comment was made when we heard a loud screech in front of us. We couldn't see anything because their was another line of cars in front of us. The cacophony must have almost made me deaf because it kept on going for a long time and it was hurting my ears. I covered my ears as did Sumomi and my aunt. My uncle kept his hands on the wheels but he scrunched up his shoulders from the horrible sound.

Nadeshiko was woken up by the sound and started to cry.

"Ah! It's okay Na-chan. The sound will be over soon," I said, trying to comfort my little sister. It wasn't until we were in the middle of an intersection that my eyes widened.

A car at a dangerous speed rammed into the side of the truck forcing it to hit the back passenger areas against the edge of the railing that kept the vehicles from falling over the edge.

I remembered the strong force slamming Nadeshiko's carseat into me and then the force from behind me when Sumomi jerked and hit my back. There was a loud crash that filled my ears. After we stopped moving, I was gasping for air. I was squeezed between both my sisters. My arms were stuck in place and I couldn't feel anything. My sight was blinded by a red liquid dripping from my face and both my eyes were in pain.

I heard the crying of Nadeshiko, still in her car seat. After several tries, I was able to free my left arm.

"Na- Nadeshiko..." I mumbled. I slowly lifted my left arm and tried to reach over the car seat to touch her. Somehow the carseat was forced onto my lap and I could feel something sharp piercing into my legs. I groaned in pain but continued until I felt the tiny hand grab onto one of my fingers. I could feel my mouth twitch upwards to form a smile. I then pulled away to check on Sumomi.

"Sumomi... Are you o-okay?" I asked, my voice shaking. There was no answer. Using my free hand, I tried to touch behind me only for the action to send a jolt of pain. I stopped moving until the pain subsided then slowly moved my arm again. I felt her face against my back. I lowered my hand to what I figured was her stomach. There I felt something big and cold and a bit wet, that seemed to have come from her stomach. Her chest did not lift nor did it fall.

Back then I didn't understand what that meant so I assumed that she was still alive. I thought that she had fainted like in the movies from the shock. I brought my arm back to Nadeshiko and she continued grabbing my fingers. She wasn't crying anymore.

I then heard a noise that sounded like crackling fire. I turned my head towards the noise. The crackling became louder and louder as it became closer and closer.

"Ahh!" I screamed. The shocking feeling spread throughout the body, enhancing the feeling of pain on my cuts and bleeding wounds. My body became limp and my sight became officially dark. I could barely stay aware of the situation around me. The tiny hand around my finger held on but only because that was all it could do. I later found out that Nadeshiko's body stiffened through the electrical shock and her body didn't stand against the voltage. She died right there and then as did Sumomi who was pierced by a piece of metal that broke from the car and was forced into her stomach when we crashed.

My aunt and uncle were unconscious and broke several bones but they survived. The man who caused the car accident was dead drunk and couldn't control himself. Apparently he was also talking on the phone, arguing with his wife and at the epiphany of his rage, he accelerated without knowing it and crashed into us.

During my unconsciousness, I could hear voices. They were indecipherable to my ears. I was also scared. I felt the fear of being alone as I was in the darkness. Sometimes a larger hand would hold onto my small one, comforting me.

Occasionally, I would also dream. These dreams were odd. I would always see red like the blood that covered my eyes, blinding me. The only difference was that this red seemed gentler. It was strong and demanding yet it was kind. It was the kind of red that seemed welcoming. I didn't fear the color like I thought I would be.

There were also the dreams of eyes looking at me. The eyes looked sharp and cold. They gave you a sense of power emitting from them. What color they were, I couldn't remember. What I did know was that when I saw these dreams, I wanted that red color or that person with the mysterious eyes to hold me close, to comfort me as I tried to cope with the pain.

I didn't think my sisters died back then but I could feel pieces of my heart gone... empty to be exact. It was a sign that they physically disappeared from my life and I could no longer see them grow and become the beautiful sisters I had imagined them to be.

When I regained consciousness and first spoke, I was engulfed into a tight hug from my mother.

"Kasumi! Oh, Kasumi! You're okay. You're okay," she said in Japanese.

"Whay's wrong Mommy?" I asked in English. I couldn't see her tears of happiness as she hugged me. There was something wrapped in front of my eyes, keeping me in the darkness and not letting me see my mom.

"Nothing is wrong Kasumi. Your mother is just happy that you are here," answered my father in English. I didn't say anything to that. If Mommy was happy, I was happy. That was all there was to our relationship.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"That... Just a few hours," Mommy lied. I learned that I was out for a few days before we moved, when I was old enough to understand what happened to me. I also had a fit when I learned that Sumomi and Nadeshiko were gone but that was later after I was discharged from the hospital.

The day before I left, the bandages over my eyes were taken off.

"We're going to slowly take the bangdages off, okay?" said the doctor who had been treating me. I nodded in approval. I felt a large hand touch the back of my head as it began to unwrap the bandages that covered my eyes. Slowly, as one layer of the bandages came off after another, I began to see the light of the room. One thing was for sure though; I could see.

The light became brighter and brighter until all of the bandages were off. I blinked several times to see where I was and the people around me. There I sat in a white hospital bed. I wore a kids' hospital gown and an IV was taped to my arms. I looked up to see my parents, their eyes widened in surprise. I turned my head to see my doctor whose eyes also expressed a sign of shock but otherwise no other emotion was seen on his face.

The room was large and white and clean. There was a picture of a lily there and a nightstand there. There was a couch against the wall to my right under a large, transparent window that faced the city.

"Would you like to see how you look?" asked the doctor. He was bald and I mean bald. His head was shiny and clean of any hair that may have once been on there. His face was also shaven and his eyes were big and blue. His skin was white and he looked to be around his late 20's. He was also tall and wore a long white coat and a stethoscope slung over his shoulder. As expected of an American doctor... Well, except for the bald head.

"Okay?" It sounded more like a question than an agreement. I did not know what he wanted to see on my face. Did I become ugly? Did I become pretty? Did I grow another head?

He gave me a mirror and when I looked into it, my eyes widened. There in the mirror, I saw a child who had the same light-colored skin, the same black hair with the bob cut, the same nose, the same mouth. What wasn't the same was my eyes. No longer were they the chocolate brown color that matched my younger sisters but they were blue. The were an ocean clue that you would see from the beaches of Hawaii. I was speechless. What could I say when my eye color had suddenly changed?

"It seems that the electrical charge from the fallen light pole gave enough energy to turn on and off certain genes that changed her eye color," explained the doctor to my parents. It wasn't a bad thing nor was it a good thing. Just one physical part of me altered and the rest of my body was fine after it healed. After that, I learned how to walk again after laying in the bed for a long time and I began to eat regular meals.

Once I was discharged, my parents and I moved to Japan immediately but at a slow pace so as to now stress my newly recovered body. The week we arrived in Japan was somewhat exciting, excluding the depressing facts. I understood what everyone there said. Everyone seemed friendly and I was overjoyed to see my room. It was to be my own and I took in the baby blue walls and white-laced curtains. The bed was big and had a blue with white floral designs on the comforter.

If only I could have shared this with my sisters.

That week was suppose to be spring break for the schools and so I had one week to try and adjust to my surroundings. I lived in Kyoto where the houses looked quite big and the neighborhood seemed friendly. As a child, I got over my sadness but not completely because I never really understood much about life.

When it was the first day of school, there were butterflies in my stomach. I was in the first grade and still a five year old only because the rules in America were different which allowed me to start school at the age of four and a few months later I would be five. It was that day that I knew my life was changed forever.

This was the day I began my life as the new Junko Kasumi.

* * *

_A/N: What a depressing chapter. I don't think I'll have anything like this for the rest of the story but you'll never know. I don't have the whole thing planned out. Thank you Infinite Skye with the forum of KNB Writers Union which helped me develop my OC. I really don't have much to say now so this will be it._

_Please review and tell me what you think about it so far. Yes, I know, known of the KnB characters are in here but I needed the Prologue to happen. Hope you guys like it and thank you for reading!_


	2. Chapter 1: First Meeting

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket or any of its characters except for Junko Kasumi (remember, Junko is her surname)._

_A/N: I'm really grateful for the reviews and favorites and followers I am getting! Thank you for doing so! Well, at the moment I am doing homework while writing which I shouldn't be doing but I can't keep myself from writing this. This chapter is of the first meeting of our protagonist and Akashi! I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

Junko Kasumi held her mother's hand with hers as they walked across the school grounds of her new school, Shukun Gakuen. Small, pink flower petals fell from the tall cherry blossom trees that lined up at the sides of the walkway towards the building. Junko looked up at the towering trees above her, mesmerized by the beauty that could only be seen once a year during the spring.

The time was 7:00 in the morning, thirty minutes before school began. Children from the first grade up to the sixth grade were walking, chatting, or playing as they entered the school gates. Their uniforms consisted of a white shirt with a black tie and either a tan-colored sweater or blazer over their shirt and tie with the school emblem on it. The boys would wear blue pants while the girls wore knee-length, red skirts.

Junko had her black hair in two braids that hung over her shoulders. Her blue eyes anxiously darted around the new environment taking in the sight of the many students of the school, the school building and the rest of the campus that consisted of a koi pond, a track field, a storage building behind the track field, more trees and grass, narrower walkways, benches and several other large buildings meant for extracurricular activities.

The schools consisted of several floors and a clock tower that seemed must have touched the clouds on the days that there were clouds. The windows were clean and had no evidence of a finger ever touching it and if not for the gleam of the sun reflecting off of the glass; it would seem that you could walk right through it.

Junko and her mother reached to the entrance of the school building and stopped. The five year old child could feel her heart pounding, making her nervous.

"Are you okay?" Junko's mother asked. Junko slowly lifted her head to look into her mother's chocolate eyes and gave a shaky nod. Despite the gesture, Junko's blue eyes reflected the feeling of fear. It was like her very first day of kindergarten all over again. Her mother stifled a giggle at the adorable reaction her daughter was giving about going to a new school where she knew no one and the school was much larger than the one that she went to back in America. Then again, being in a foreign area where you don't know anyone is scary. "Just breathe in and out slowly, okay?"

"O-okay," Junko replied. She breathed in and then out. In. Out. In again and out for the last time. The blue-eye girl placed her hand over her heart and smiled, seeing how she calmed down. "I'm ready," she told her mother. Junko's mother smiled and led the girl to the door. Up the stairs they went but something caught the corner of her eyes.

It seemed to have happened in slow motion as she turned her head to see a red-head boy sitting on a bench against the wall of the school, reading a book or at least that was what he was supposed to be doing. His bright, red eyes looked into her blue ones for those few seconds. His eyes were sharp and already did his stare made her feel his power.

If looks could kill, Junko might already have died but instead of cowering in fear, she felt curious and awe by the strength that emitted from him.

She no longer saw him as she entered the school, walking with her mother in the crowded hallway filled with students and some teachers. People stared at her questioningly knowing that they had never seen the small girl before. What bewildered them the most was her ocean-colored orbs that shyly looked around the hallway, hoping to somehow hide away from all the looking eyes.

Minutes seemed like decades for the five year old until they were in front of a door. Junko's mother twisted the handle and opened the door, gently pulling her daughter into the room with her.

"Ah, welcome, Junko-san and Kasumi-san," greeted a deep, masculine, and booming voice from behind the desk of the room. From what it looked like, Junko knew the area as an office due to several filing cabinets to one side of the room, a bookcase in another corner, awards hanging on the walls and a large office desk placed towards the back of the room. There was a large armchair behind the desk and two regular, wooden chairs with blue cushions in front of it.

"Hello, Nakaidou-sensei. Say hello to the chairman Sumi-chan," Junko's mother said.

Kasumi looked curiously at the man in front of her. He was tall and lean but not too skinny. In other words, he seemed fit. He also looked young; around his middle to late 20's. He had brown hair that was smoothed back. The chairman was also tall compared to the average Japanese man, that being about 172 cm. His eyes were gray but they seemed to express a spark of determination and power in him.

"Hello, Nakaidou-sensei," greeted the girl. Junko bowed as she was taught to greet her elders. The man nodded in approval as Junko displayed respectable manners.

"It is nice to meet you," Nakaidou said in a gentler tone. He smiled at the girl who genuinely smiled back at him. "I hope you will like Shunkun Gakuen Kasumi-san. There will be many things that you might have an interest in that will make you a great person later on."

"Um, okay," responded Junko, not completely comprehending what the chairman of the school was saying. "It is nice to meet you too, Nakaidou-sensei."

He chuckled at her response then crouched down so that he didn't have to hurt his neck while looking down at the petite girl. "Is there something that you like to do?" asked Nakaidou. Junko beamed at the question that she immediately knew the answer to.

"Yep! I like music and basketball and shooting arrows!" she exclaimed. Her mother laughed. Nakaidou looked at Junko's mother with a confused expression on his face.

"I apologize for laughing but Sumi-chan has only gotten into archery just last week. We were watching a documentary about Japan. She didn't understand anything so she kept on asking questions and my husband and I were answering her. What caught her attention was when the documentary was showing the different weapons used in Japan that caught her attention and when she saw the archers release the arrows, she claimed that she wanted to do that. I don't know how long this obsession will last." Nakaidou smiled and faced Junko again.

"We do have an archery club but you have to wait to be older. We don't have a females' basketball club either so if you want to play basketball, you will have to make one by yourself and find other girls to play with you," explained the chairman. Junko frowned, only understanding that she could not play basketball or do archery. "But we do have an orchestra club and a light music club that you could join. They encourage students at a young age to play instruments. Would you like to join?"

Junko's face beamed again with a wider smile than before. "Hai!" she answered cheerfully.

"We would both be delighted by that. Sumi-chan really likes to play the flute right?"

"I do Mommy! That's because Mommy taught me how to play the flute and when Mommy plays, it sounds really pretty! I also want to play the trumpet because my daddy can play it and sounds cool and happy." Junko was waving her arms up and down in excitement.

"Maybe you can do more than just those two instruments. Let's take a small tour around the school then, shall we?" asked Nakaidou, changing the subject. He liked being punctual that he made sure to have the new student make it to her first class on time.

Nakaidou led the mother and daughter out of the office and around the school. He introduced to them the cafeteria, the different floors for the different grade levels, the two gyms that were used for teaching, the club rooms and finally her classroom.

It took them 20 minutes to walk around the whole school, leaving only five minutes left until class officially started. They had spent about five minutes talking and introducing themselves earlier.

Students were walking in different directions, trying to get to their classrooms. Some were leisurely walking while others were dashing their way through the crowds to make it to their class.

"Here is your class, Kasumi-san. I hope you will enjoy your time hear and Shukun Gakuen," Nakaidou said to the petite girl.

"I will."

Junko's mother kneeled to look at Junko at hug her. In English, she said, "Have a good day sweetie. Daddy will pick you up after school today, okay?"

"Okay Mommy."

"Good. Have a great day at school," the mother said, worry starting to cloud her mind.

"Don't worry Mommy. I'll be a good girl," Junko comforted. With a kiss and a wave of goodbye, the mother reluctantly walked away to go to work.

The bell was about to ring in one minute. "Shall we go inside and meet your teacher?" asked Nakaidou. Junko gave a small smile and nodded. Her excitement subsided while they were on tour of the school. When Nakaidou was about to open the door, Junko tugged on his shirt.

"What is it Kasumi-san?" he asked. Junko looked up at the door and pointed to the top of it where it was partly opened. Nakaidou followed her gaze and also looked up at the partially opened door. Sitting over the door was a bucket. Nakaidou narrowed his eyes and was about to take it down but was pushed away by a fumbling hand.

"I'm late! And there's a new student coming today too – Ahh!" The bucket fell on top of the woman that was rushing towards the classroom. Water soaked her clothes and was dripping down her tied up black hair and light-pink dress.

Laughter filled the classroom as the woman stood there, dumbfounded.

"Are you okay?" asked Junko. The woman turned her head and her eyes widened to see a small girl with beautiful blue eyes that she had never seen before.

She felt humiliated to have this happen to her in front of her new student. The woman then noticed a taller figure standing next to the petite girl. She looked up and her eyes widened even more. A bright red color painted her face that she covered with the bag she was carrying as she faced the chairman and the new student.

"I – I'm f-fine," she stuttered. Nakaidou sighed.

"Go and change Fujisaki-sensei. I'll take over your class until you come back," he offered.

"Ah! Thank you so much Nakaidou-sensei!" Her face reddened and she quickly dashed out of the classroom. Nakaidou walked in with Junko following behind him. Her face voided any signs of emotion because she was displeased with the situation that had just occurred.

The room became silent as the chairman walked in with a threatening aura even though it was a first grade classroom.

"Would anyone like to tell me who did this?" asked Nakaidou.

"My older brother came in here and set up the bucket a few minutes before class and told us not to touch the door," explained a little boy.

"And who is your brother?"

"Makoto Kiku from the fifth grade" replied the little boy.

"With that problem solved, I would like to introduce your new classmate, Junko Kasumi." Everyone's attention turned to the little girl that stood beside Nakaidou. Whispering was heard throughout the classroom as they looked at Junko.

Junko did her best to stay calm. She kept a stoic expression as she looked around the classroom. First she turned her head to the left. Nothing interesting. She turned her head to the right and her blue orbs slightly widened as she spotted the color red in the middle of the seated students.

"My name is Junko Kasumi. Please take care of me." She bowed and gave some more information. Junko practiced with her parents on how she should introduce herself to her new classmates. "I am from America and I am five years old. I think I'm a year younger than everyone because rules in America allowed me to go to school early." Ooh's and aah's were heard throughout the classroom.

"Can you say something in English?" asked one of the students as she raised her hand. Junko nodded.

"Hello. My name is Kasumi Junko. I am five years old and I like music and basketball and shooting arrows." Nakaidou controlled himself from chuckling at the last part.

"*Sugoi!" exclaimed some of the children.

"I am still bad at speaking Japanese so I hope you can help me," Junko said, going back to speak in Japanese. The students excitedly agreed to help her if she needed it. This friendly atmosphere made her happy.

"You will be sitting next to Akashi Seijuuro. Please stand up so that Kasumi-san knows where to sit Akashi-san." Junko looked up at the classroom with curious eyes. Her gaze fell upon the red head who stood up, making her feel excited.

She walked over to her new seat and sat down. "Please take care of me," she said to the red head boy that she now knows as Akashi. Junko also bowed, causing Akashi to be startled.

"And please take care of me," he said uncomfortably. Junko stared at him, confused. Was he not use to people treating him like she did?

"Now let's start the lesson. Today we will…"

Later, Fujisaki came back into the classroom to take charge of her students. With a slight blush, she thanked Nakaidou for taking care of her class while she was gone. When Fujisaki taught the class, she spoke with a firm tone that changed Junko's perspective of her teacher. She wasn't the kind that was embarrassed easily except for when she was around Nakaidou. Actually, Junko learned that Fujisaki was kind of scary when her students disobey her or do not listen to school rules. She just happened to be a victim of many pranks that she would find a way to get revenge without the incidents leading back to her. When she lectures and yells, it was terrifying.

Several minutes after Nakaidou left, the whole school (not exaggerated) heard a loud plead. The voice was asking for forgiveness and that he would do anything to keep his life. Nakaidou came back into the classroom and had the older brother of one of Junko's classmates apologizing to Fujisaki and had to write "I'm sorry" in the air with his butt. Lucky for him none of the kids in the classrooms had smartphones.

Lunch came around and the children were hard to control when their stomachs are empty. When the bell signaled that class was over, many of the girls swarmed around Junko making her confused and flustered.

The questions were bombarded onto Junko who could only look back and forth, not knowing who to answer first. Not only that but she was kept from getting to her lunch that her mother packed for her and she was hungry.

Akashi started to get irritated by the noise next to him and not only that but it seemed that Junko was in a pinch. He sighed and stood up behind the group of girls. Akashi coughed once, trying to gain the girls attention. No one heard him except for the bystanders who were just sitting and chatting to each other unless they saw what kind of situation was happening before their eyes.

The red-head became annoyed for being ignored and so coughed louder, finally gaining the attention of the female population in the room.

"I would like to eat in quiet so please stay silent. Junko also looks like she is confused with all the questions," Akashi said to the girls. His voice was not booming like the chairman but there was the sense of him being in command.

"Thank you Akashi-san," Junko said with a relieved smile on her face. Everyone stared at her in shock. The blue-eye girl noticed this but didn't know why her classmates were making such a face.

"You're welcome," Akashi quickly replied and left the classroom before Junko could say anything else. There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the door where Akashi left.

Suddenly a burst of gossip that belonged to six year olds filled the classroom.

"Aren't you scared of Akashi?" asked one of the girls to Junko. She blinked in confusion.

"No. Why?"

"Doesn't he look scary?" another girl asked

"I don't think so," Junko replied.

"Sugoi! Junko-chan is brave. We are all scared of him," said another girl.

"Why are you scared of him?"

"We told you. He looks scary. When he looks at you he is scary. He's also mean."

"How?"

"Last week, another prank was pulled on Fujisaki-sensei and we laughed and then he said that we were immature in a scary voice!"

_No. He's right to say that._ Junko thought.

"Well, I want to eat lunch," Junko said, changing the subject. The girls agreed and they ate together. Junko finished her lunch early and so decided to go outside and see the school with some of her other classmates her were also done with their lunch.

"Let's go to the playground!"

"No! I want to go to the garden." Junko's classmates were arguing where they would take Junko to see where she hadn't been yet on her tour with the chairman earlier. She looked around, analyzing the school campus curiously.

When she caught the sight of two basketball hoops, she started walking over there, forgetting the classmates that were walking with her. One of them saw her leaving and told the group that she left.

"Wait Junko-chan! Where are you going?" asked one of the boys that decided to join the group.

"I want to see the basketball courts," she answered.

"But the older kids are the only ones who get to play on it."

"I just want to see it." The class became hesitant but they didn't think it would hurt to watch them a little bit. They walked over to the basketball courts only for some of them to stop in their tracks to see who was playing.

There seemed to be fifth and sixth graders playing basketball but Junko noticed a small red-head playing with them. One of the kids started tugging Junko's shirt. She looked back, confused.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Akashi is here."

"I'm not scared."

"But…!" they protested

"I want to watch them play basketball," Junko said threateningly. "If you want to leave, you can. I want to watch."

_Scary!_ The kids didn't want to leave Junko there but they didn't want to be in the presence of Akashi either. They also started to see the stubborn and scary side of Junko which they didn't think was possible from a petite, cute-and-innocent-looking girl.

One by one, the students started to leave. All that was left watching was Junko and another girl named Tsukiyomi Hana.

"Junko-chan must really like basketball," commented Tsukiyomi as she watched the blue-eye girl examining every move being played on the court, not that she would understand basketball but Junko seemed really focus on watching them.

"I do. Do you see the senpai with the messy hair over there?" Junko pointed towards a tall sixth grader.

"Yeah."

"He hurt his ankle. The way he runs is uneven but it is hard to see because he can hide it very well." Tsukiyomi didn't understand what Junko was saying but she seemed to know what she was talking about.

"Doesn't that mean he can still play?" Tsukiyomi asked. Junko shook her head.

"He can still play but his ankle will hurt more later if he still plays. That other senpai with the necklace doesn't move really well either but that is because he doesn't stretch. My daddy says that it's called flesi- fleshi… Flexi- flexibility," she finally pronounced.

"I see." Not really. Junko started to point out to each player on the field and described what flaw they had in their movements. Tsukiyomi was clueless but she listened anyway.

Junko was in awe as she saw everything on the court. She noticed every little movement of the muscles of the players. She couldn't exactly describe all of it nor could she point it out if she didn't know the words to explain the movements. This ability happened after the car accident.

"Aah!" Junko looked up to see the sixth grader who had hurt his ankle. He had tripped and the ball went out of bounds.

"Oi, Hitori. What's gotten into you today?" asked one of the boys friends.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just spacing out," Hitori replied. He bent over, hands on his knees as he was panting. Junko walked over to him and crouched so that she could see the boy's face that was facing the ground.

"Senpai shouldn't be playing because senpai's ankle in hurt," she said. Hitori looked at her in surprise. He gave her a smile.

"What are you talking about?" he asked trying to not sound surprised.

"Senpai's movements are uneven because senpai's ankle is hurt," Junko explained.

"What are you doing here, Junko?" asked Akashi as he walked over to the girl.

"I wanted to watch people play basketball," she answered truthfully. They stared at each other but it wasn't out of anger or any feelings for that matter. They just stared at each other.

"Is it true Hitori? Did you hurt your ankle?" asked one of the players. Hitori looked up and sighed in defeat.

"Yeah… At the last game, I twisted it but I thought it wasn't that bad at the time. Looks like I'll have to sit out for a while," he admitted. "I'm surprised though. Junko's your name right? How did you notice that my ankle was hurt?"

Her gaze left Akashi's as she stood up to face Hitori. "I just saw senpai running and I could see it. That was when I first saw senpai running," she admitted.

"That's pretty amazing for a little girl. Do you play basketball?" asked one of the upperclassmen.

"I do but I'm not very good at it."

"Want to try and take Hitori's place. That way our teams can be even by having a first grader on each team. Akashi plays a point guard while Hitori also plays as a point guard. We only have a few minutes left but I think we can manage one round." Junko beamed at the idea.

"Okay!" she agreed cheerfully. Akashi stared at her as if she was crazy but didn't say anything. He thought that she was strange and she knew that.

Tsukiyomi watched at the sidelines and smiled. Junko seemed really excited to be playing basketball. Hitori saw the girl and walked over to her then sat down next to her.

"Is Junko your friend?" he asked Tsukiyomi. Was she her friend? They only met today.

"Tsukiyomi! Watch me play okay!" Junko yelled from the other side of the court. Tsukiyomi nodded to Junko and smiled.

"Junko-chan is my friend."

The game started in Junko's hands. She stood in place while dribbling the ball and looking around the court. Her control over the ball wasn't great but for having a small body, she did pretty well. When she saw an opening, she dribbled the ball towards that way then passed to one of her senpais on her team. He ran towards the three point line and shot the ball.

The ball bounced off the rim of the basket. The other team got the rebound and started dribbling down the court. When a sixth grader with a broad body structure made it to the middle of the line, he felt the ball being taken from his hold. He turned his head to see that Junko stole the ball from him.

Akashi ran and guarded her, making Junko stopped while holding the ball. She began to panic as she tried to figure out what to do. Due to her frantic mind, she quickly tried to dribble the ball to her right but Akashi stole the ball from her.

Junko ran after Akashi and blocked him from passing to a player on his team. When the upperclassmen of both teams saw the one-on-one, they couldn't help but stare at the cute matchup of two first graders going against each other in basketball, especially if both are small for their age.

The pace of the game slowed down because everyone was paying attention to Akashi and Junko play until they couldn't run anymore due to the heavy weight of the ball and the constant, fast-paced movement.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

The bell that indicated that the students had five minutes left to go to class rung throughout the school. Neither of the team scored throughout the time they were playing basketball.

"Do you guys want to play with us tomorrow?" asked one of the senpai. Akashi nodded and a small smile was plastered on his face. He never felt so much fun in playing basketball before.

"Okay!" Junko chirped happily. She turned to face Akashi. "Ne ne Akashi. We're friends now right?" she asked.

The red eyes of the boy slightly widened at the question. He considered his answer before answering. "I guess. You have to do what I say though." Junko giggled at his commanding tone.

"As long as we get to play basketball together, I don't mind. Tsukiyomi! Let's walk back to class with me and Akashi!" Tsukiyomi ran towards them with a smile on her face as well.

"Okay," she complied. The three first graders walked back to class as did the upperclassmen.

Hitori walked up to one of his friends and began talking to them about the talented little kids. "Junko-chan has pretty good eyes and I mean in both physically and... Would psychological work? Anyway, when I was watching her play, she seemed really focus on what kind of moves she should do and she kept on analyzing the court for an opening. Under pressure, she tends to be rash with her decisions and her handling is okay."

"Yeah. Akashi has been practicing with us so he has more control and has a stronger sense in the basics but street ball is still his style. He has a pretty good eye too but Junko is more sensitive. I don't think that Junko will keep on playing but she can stay as a manager or something. She seems to have more fun watching rather than playing," the other boy added.

"Not only that but it seems that she's oblivious to Akashi's scary aura. We've gotten used to it and he respects his elders but… Well, we'll see. They're still young and have a lot of growing up to do. It's a good thing though. There will be someone his age who will treat him as a regular person."

* * *

"We're back!" Tsukiyomi greeted as she, Junko, and Akashi entered the classroom. Their classmates didn't answer but instead glared at them, mainly at Akashi.

Tsukiyomi sat down in her seat near the doorway. When Junko and Akashi walked to their seats, a frown was placed on their faces. Crayon and markers were scribbled on Akashi's desk as well as words that first graders shouldn't know at all were written on it.

"That's mean. Akashi, let's go ask Fujisaki-sensei for something to clean it." She took his hand and pulled him to Fujisaki who entered the classroom who let out a sigh of relief that there was no prank planned for her that afternoon. "Fujisaki-sensei!" called Junko.

"Yes, Junko-chan?" the teacher asked.

"People wrote on Akashi's desk. We need to clean it," she explained. Fujisaki walked over to the red-head's desk and narrowed her eyes in disgust.

"Don't worry Akashi-kun. I'll clean it for you okay?" Akashi only nodded; dumbfounded by the friendly treatment he was given. Only his parents were the ones that were nice to him, or at least that was how it was.

His desk was cleaned and another lesson on Japanese culture was given for that afternoon.

School ended and the students of Shukun Gakuen proceeded to leave the school or go to clubs.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Akashi and Tsukiyomi," Junko said to her new friends.

"Bye-bye Junko-chan!" said Tsukiyomi. Akashi nodded and watched Junko walk out of the classroom first.

"I'll see you tomorrow too Akashi-kun." Tsukuyomi was about to walk out of the classroom but was stopped by Akashi's hand holding her arm

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you nice to me?"

Silence.

"I think it's because of Junko-chan," Tsukiyomi started. "She's not scared of Akashi-kun like the others. I also don't think that Akashi-kun is a bad person, just scary."

"Really?" his eyes glared at her, not believing her. She gave him a smile.

"I do. I have to go now Akashi-kun. See you tomorrow!" With that, she left Akashi by himself. He stood there not knowing how to react. The warm feeling he felt was a strange and new sensation that he felt happy about.

The crimson-eye boy picked up his bag and walked out into the now empty hallway. A few steps down the hallway, he was pushed against the wall.

"What was that for?" he yelled. Akashi looked up to see three boys and two girls from his class in front of him, a sour expression upon their faces.

"You're forcing Junko-chan to hang out with you," one of the boys claimed.

"Yeah. I bet Junko-chan is really scared of you and only does what you say because you scare her," a girl said this time.

"That's not true…" Akashi was cut off when the boys started hit him. He started to wonder if what they said were true. Was Junko scared of him? He didn't say anything to her though. He was tired of fighting back. Tired of fighting to prove that he was a nice person to be around.

* * *

"Daddy!" Junko ran up to her father and gave him a hug.

"How was school?" he asked returning the gesture.

"It was fun today! I got to play basketball with older kids and I made two new friends," she explained in pure delight. Her father chuckled.

"I'm glad you like it. Do you have everything with you?" he asked. When Junko is excited, she tends to forget something that she has with her.

"I forgot my pencil box! I'll be right back Daddy," she explained.

"Don't take too long."

Junko ran down the hallways of the school towards her classroom. She was able to find her way around the school after entering and leaving and the classroom several times that day. Junko entered a familiar hallway with pictures drawn by first graders hanging on the walls.

She began to walk but only to stop when she saw kids hitting a familiar red-head child who was curled into a ball against the wall, his hands over his head. The sound of the stomping they were creating reminded her of the thumps that were made while she was trying to move in the crashed car.

Her heart began to beat faster and faster as flashes of the incident ran through her minds.

"Stop!" she yelled at the bullying children. They stopped at the voice and turned to see Junko with clenched fists and with anger flaming in her eyes. She looked about ready to cry. "What are you doing?"

One of the boys walked up to her with determination in his eyes. "Akashi made you hang out with him right?" he asked.

"What?" She didn't understand what they meant by that. "I wanted to play with Akashi," she explained. "He didn't make me do anything."

Eyes widened at the confession. "Really?" the boy asked, not wanting to believe it.

"Yeah." Her voice was firm and she was starting to be angry. The scary terrifying aura that she emitted earlier that afternoon reappeared that evening. "I don't like people who are mean so stop bullying Akashi." The opposing children shivered in fear but a look of disgust came across their faces.

"Junko is weird. Come one guys. Let's not play with her anymore." They all left leaving behind Junko and Akashi.

The ocean-colored eyes glared at them and she stuck her tongue out at them. She turned to Akashi who was now limply sitting against the wall, his bangs covering his eyes.

"Are you okay, Akashi?" Junko asked. She walked towards the crimson-eye boy and was about to touch his shoulders but he pushed her hand away. Junko was shocked and didn't know what to say.

"Stay away from me."

"Aka-"

"I said stay away from me!" He quickly stood up which knocked Junko down. He felt guilty but he couldn't get what the other children said to him. "You're scared of me right? Everyone is scared of me." He clenched his fists in frustration. His eyes were burning with hatred.

Junko started to shiver from fear but she pushed the feeling aside. "Akashi is lonely right?" The boy looked at her with surprise that she did not cower in front of him. "I don't want Akashi to be lonely. I was lonely once." Junko began that sentence but stopped it there.

She did not want to think about her deceased sisters but it couldn't be helped. She felt lonely without them. Empty. That emptiness stayed until today when she played with Akashi and Tsukiyomi. There was no way she wanted that emptiness to come again.

"Because I was lonely, I don't want Akashi to be lonely. I want to be friends with Akashi so we won't feel lonely anymore." Junko smiled at him a sad smile. Akashi felt the sadness behind the smile. "Will you be my friend, Akashi?" she asked, lifting her hand in front of her towards Akashi.

Akashi stared at her. "As long as you do what I say," he repeated. A faint smile appeared on his face as he took her hand. Junko giggled then let go of his hand.

"I came back because I forgot my pencil box. Come with me Akashi." He nodded and followed her. She obtained her pencil box and walked out of the school with Akashi at her side. There was a comfortable silence between them as they walked together.

When they arrived at the gate, Junko saw her father talking to another man that had hair similar to Akashi's.

"Daddy! I got my pencil box," she said to gain her father's attention.

"That's good that we got it this time isn't it. Who is this?" her father asked, head turned toward Akashi.

Akashi bowed before Junko's father and introduced himself. "I am Akashi Seijuuro sir. It is nice to meet you." The red-head then turned towards the other man with hair color that definitely looked like his. "Hello otou-san," he greeted the tall man.

"Did something happen Seijuuro? Why is your faced bruised?" his father asked. Akashi was hesitant to answer.

"Akashi was being bullied by people in our class. I saw it when I went to get my pencil box! They were hitting Akashi because they thought that I was forced to play with him but I wanted to play with Akashi!" explained Junko.

"And you stopped them Sumi-chan?" asked her father.

"Yep! I was like this and they got scared!" She started to try and act out her anger but it only turned into a cute pouting face with clenched fists. Akashi laughed at her exaggerated expressions.

"Akashi laughed! Akashi looks happy when he laughs," commented Junk.

"You're weird Junko. A good weird."

"I'll see you tomorrow Akashi!" she exclaimed that was followed by a yawn.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Before you go Junko-san, let me speak to your daughter," Akashi's father told Junko's. The girl looked up at the red hair man, expecting a question from him.

"Please take care of my son for me. Seijuurou's mother and I can't always look after him so you have to watch him for us, okay?" requested the father.

"Okay Akashi-san. I'll watch over Akashi for you!" she told the man. Akashi's face was bright red and expressed a little bit of irritation.

"Don't do that otou-san!" complained the boy. "I can take care of myself."

"Then what about today? The kids were hitting you correct and you didn't do anything about it." His father stared at him with stern eyes that the atmosphere completely changed into something awkward. There was silence as Akashi didn't answer.

His father's face softened and hugged his child. "I know you can do well by yourself but I just want to be careful. You have to watch Junko-chan as well if she is looking after you. Okay?"

Akashi nodded, understanding his father's request. "I'll see you again, Junko-san. Have a nice day."

"You too," replied Junko's father. They left their separate ways with the one of both children's holding onto their father's hand.

"How do you know Akashi's daddy, Daddy?" asked Junko.

"We just… met," Junko's father answered with a vague answer. Junko just accepted that answer, assuming that they met at the gate while waiting for them to exit the school

_A/N: I did not expect it to be so long. I apologize if Akashi seems OOC but I don't know how a child Akashi acts so it's kind of hard to write about. I imagine him having a somewhat normal childhood with several hardships along the way._

_I'll make sure that Junko is the victim of most bullying events though because I don't want Akashi to be weak. There is no way that I can imagine him weak so I'll make it work out. This chapter was to introduce Akashi and his problems that he faced during grade school, especially during the earlier years._

_I have also learned that Teikou translates to the word imperial or somewhere along those lines which makes sense when we think of the GOM being undefeated while being there and dominates the world of middle school basketball. Shukun, means lord or something like that in Japanese. Though it is not an adjective, the pronunciation of the word itself sounds pretty cool so I used it. That sense of having power is a given for Akashi so I needed a name for the school along those lines._

_Constructive criticism is appreciated as well as reviews that I would like to read! _

_Thanks for reading! Until next time~_


	3. Chapter 2: Mother's Day

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket or any of its characters except for Junko Kasumi (remember, Junko is her surname), and the other OCs I created._

_A/N: Wah~ I'm really happy with all the reviews and readers reading this fic and this is only the third chapter! I'm not going to write each and every event that happens in their lives so there will be a lot of time skips up until… probably Teikou maybe. That or when they enter high school and I mean like big time skips from one year to the next and so on. I'm unsure as of yet. It won't happen for this chapter but it will happen in the future._

_Now on with the story!_

* * *

A month has passed and the light and warm colors of May cover the school ground of Shukun Gakuen. The luscious green grass with morning dew glistened in the rising sun of the coming afternoon. Flowers caught the attention of many students with its many tints and shades of colors.

The most vivid-looking and exotic of these plants and flowers were in the protection of the school's greenhouse made entirely out of glass and had a working system where the water would distribute itself around the garden with the help of solar-powered pumps. To make this system more appealing to the staff and students who enter the garden to have meetings or lunch, it was set up to have mini waterfalls at the perimeter inside the greenhouse which then created small streams that circulated throughout the glass building to the various plants that resided in the bright area.

There in the center of the green house is a gazebo where tables are set up for children to eat and occasionally for the orchestra club to assemble and play enlightening tunes while students ate. Today was a Saturday, a day where the said club would always gather and play for the student body.

Watching this group set up was a black hair girl with two braids hanging over her shoulders and crystal blue eyes observing stands and instruments being set up. She sat outside of the gazebo with a group of males who were older than her (minus one, her friend, Akashi Seijuuro) leisurely talking about basketball and sometimes discussing on what improvements they could make on their abilities.

Junko sat next to Akashi who was listening to the basketball club intently on what they were discussing and trying to understand everything they were saying. The blue-eye girl on the other hand was tuning in and out on what the team were discussing.

She had joined the orchestra club a week after she entered her new school and they had taught her many techniques and tips on how to play her current instrument: the flute. Junko loved basketball just as much as she loved music because when she dribbles the ball around the court and listens to the sound of feet running and shoes squeaking, she is reminded of the constant and catchy rhythms of music. This rhythm was what gave her a steady pace as she ran around the court, allowing her to fully enjoy her experience in playing the sport.

Today was a rest day for the basketball team of Shukun Gakuen and they had decided to hang out at the famous greenhouse of the school. They had noticed the two first graders of this a day before and asked if they wanted to join. Both had agreed but Akashi seemed disappointed not to be able to practice that day.

The orchestra club began playing their instruments, catching the attention of everyone within the facility. It was a cheerful tune; the melody coming from the soloist, a clarinet player. Junko swayed her body in sync with the song and hummed along. She knew the song because her musical senpai were practicing this particular song for the past few weeks.

She watched the fingers swiftly and elegantly move up and down, pressing and letting go of the holes perforated on the instrument.

"My, my. Looks like Jun-chan really likes music," commented Hitori. Over the past month since Junko enrolled into the school, many of her upperclassmen that played basketball nicknamed her Jun-chan.

"I really like music like how I like basketball," explained Junko who did not turn to face her senpai-tachi because she didn't want to take her gaze off of the orchestra club members.

"How's the orchestra club doing for you?" asked Tsuchiura, the captain of the basketball club.

"I have fun learning new things for my flute!" chirped Junko, still facing the musicians.

"That's good to hear." Tsuchirua then turned his head to face Hiroto. "Do you know what you're getting for your mom for mother's day?" he asked.

"Hmm… I don't know. I barely talk to her nowadays so I don't really know what she likes. What do moms like?"

"I have no idea," commented another member of the basketball team. They heaved a big sigh in unison as they were stumped on what they should get for their mothers on mother's day tomorrow. Akashi stayed quiet and stared at the older boys with a blank expression.

Now that he thought about it, his parents were hosting a party to celebrate mother's day and the accomplishment of something his father's work did. His father said it was 'hitting two birds with one stone', whatever that meant.

Junko turned her head to look at the defeated-looking boys. She overheard their conversation about mother's day that she actually understood when they were talking.

"Ne, Hitori-senpai," called Junko.

"Hmm? What is it Jun-chan?" he asked.

"For mother's day, you should give your mommy flowers. Their favorite flowers are the best to use but I heard that pink carnations should also be given to mothers because it means 'mother's love'… I think," claimed the blue-eye girl.

The boys stared at her in amazement at the simple yet touching idea. "I see! Well the, let's look I'll have to go to buy some stuff at the flower shop today," announced Tsuchiura. "Thanks Jun-chan. You saved us today," Tsuchiura said while patting Junko's head.

"You're welcome Tsuchiura-senpai. Ah, that's right! What will you be doing tomorrow for mother's day Akashi?" asked Junko.

"My parents are having a party for mother's day and because otou-san's work did something big," he explained.

"What about you Jun-chan?"

"I don't know. My daddy always tells me at the last minute."

"How do you know the term 'at the last minute'?"

"My mommy gets mad at Daddy for doing things at the last minute and she uses that…"

"It's called a phrase."

"What's a phrase?"

"A saying is a better way to explain it, Hitori. Anyway, a phrase is a certain group of words used in a sentence that a lot of people use. Do you get it?"

"I think so."

"You'll understand more when you grow older."

The familiar ringing of the minute bell rang and vibrated throughout the school. The orchestra club members began to rush to pack up their instruments and put away the stands and chairs. The clanging of metal and snaps of instrument cases echoed in the greenhouse.

Akashi and Junko jumped off of their chairs and waved goodbye to their senpais as they walked to their classroom.

"Do you want to race to the classroom?" asked Akashi out of the blue. He was bored and the fact that he didn't play basketball today made his energetic, small body restless.

"Okay," replied Junko. Ever since Akashi started to willingly play with the black-hair girl, he would always challenge her to a game or a race or anything that involved competing against each other. Each time this happened, Akashi would win and a satisfied smile would appear on his face.

Junko would get frustrated at losing but over the past month she didn't mind if she lost because she would always see a smile on Akashi's face that was rare unless they competed against each other and he won. It still hurt though, to lose. Despite how hard she tried, Akashi would be one step ahead of her and always win.

They began dashing across the school campus and through the hallways past many other students surprising them at first but then they gave a smile at the usual duo who would always race against each other on what they considered random days of wanting to race.

Akashi and Junko would be yelled at to stop running by one of the teachers but they never really listened because if one of them backed down, they would be admitting defeat. They would continue to run and allow the cool wind rush pass their faces until they entered the classroom of Fujisaki Momoka.

"I won again," Akashi would say proudly as he put his hands on his hips and smile in triumph and this time was no excuse. Junko slumped in her chair, panting. Like always, this race would happen so fast that she didn't remember much except for the excitement that she felt and her heart pounding against her chest.

"Akashi is really fast," she admitted, "but you can't beat senpai-tachi." Akashi frowned at the last statement. It was true though and it would stay a fact until he matured physically and mentally.

"Not yet," the crimson-eyed boy claimed. Junko giggled then straightened her back. When she heard the door that led to the classroom, open, her eyes widened with glee.

"Tsukiyomi! How was practice today?" Junko asked her best female friend. Tsukiyomi ran to Junko's seat, a smile beaming on her face.

"It was great. We have to do a lot more practice though. We want to be the best for the talent show!" Tsukiyomi had joined the talent show of the school with several other girls in their class.

Tsukiyomi was friends with everyone in the class and her cute looks only made it harder for everyone to not hang out with her even though she would spend most of her time with Junko and Akashi. Her hazel eyes and long, jet black hair would always catch people's attention. How could no one notice her? Her looks were always a reason why everyone was nice to her and treat her if she was a fragile, porcelain doll. Well, almost everyone.

Akashi and Junko were the only ones that treated her as a regular person, like she was just a part of a regular cloud. It could be because that the two stood out enough with their eyes and especially Akashi with his hair. Whether that was or was not the reason, Tsukiyomi was glad to have them as friends. Akashi would talk to her like he would talk to everyone; with little yet commanding words. Junko would always give her a firm hug and sometimes a high five if they were able to accomplish something together. It wasn't like when people would talk sweetly to her, careful that they might hurt her through their words or even with their touches. When the wanted to pat her head or hold her hands, they treated the as if they were delicate and that a tiny, single scratch could kill her.

"Everyone! Back to your seats!" called Fujisaki. Rustling of clothes and children trying to push their way through the room was heard. After a minute or so, everyone was seated into their assigned seats.

Fujisaki looked at the class in satisfaction and folded her arms in approval.

"Good," she commented. "Now that everyone is in their seats, I would like to make an announcement." There was a moment of silence as the children patiently waited for their teacher to say whatever she needed to say to the class.

"As we all know, tomorrow is Mother's day. To celebrate it, we will make cards so that you can give it to your mother's okay?"

"Yes ma'am," the class answered in unison.

"I will pass out materials that you will need and any extra things you need are up here. Let's get started." With that, she passed out blank sheets of white paper, scissors, glue, and crayons. Markers, glitter, ribbons and many other decorating materials were set up at the front of the table.

"If the class is good, then we can have the rest of the day making Mother's day cards but if the class gets to loud, we'll stop and go on with our next lesson. Understood?" Her eyes glared at certain students in the classroom but later returned to its normal look.

The class nodded in agreement and the card decorating began. The students were allowed to sit wherever they liked and work together as long as their behavior was exceptional. Tsukiyomi got up from her seat and moved towards Junko and Akashi.

"Let's work together Tsukiyomi-chan," called a few girls from the other side of the class.

"No thank you," she replied. "I want to sit with Junko-chan and Akashi-kun." Disappointment and anger flashed in the other girls eyes at the response. They began to stare daggers at the crimson-eyed boy and crystal-eyed girl but they ignored it completely, not feeling the deathly glares they were given at all.

"Ne ne, Tsukiyomi. What are you going to put on your card?" asked Junko as she was gluing some ribbon onto the paper.

"I don't know yet. I think I'll draw some flowers," she answered. "What about Akashi-kun?"

"I'm going to cut the sides of the paper in a wavy pattern and write a note in it." Now that Junko actually noticed what Akashi had no his desk, she felt somewhat nervous. It was more what was in his hands that caught her attention. Akashi was holding a large pair of red scissors that were too big for his small hands to actually hold.

The sight of the child with a large pair of scissors was terrifying but as children, none of them knew the actual dangers of some of the utensils used in the classroom just yet. Tsukiyomi also felt anxious when she saw the scissors in his hands but both girls decided not to say anything about it.

The rest of class was uneventful until Akashi, Junko, and Tsukiyomi exclaimed that they were finished with their cards. Ten minutes were left until school ended and so the trio began to clean up the scraps of paper that lied on their desks and floor.

"Yours looks cool Akashi!" praised Junko looking at the neatly hand written card with a drawing of a carnation in the middle. Fujisaki had shown them a picture of the carnation and told the class what it meant like how Junko did earlier that afternoon.

"Hmph," he grunted in satisfaction. "Junko's and Tsukiyomi's cards also looks nice," he then commented after glancing at them.

"Thank you Akashi-kun." Tsukiyomi gave Akashi her cutest smile but it did not affect him like it would affect the other boys in her class. She felt a bit disappointed for not getting much of a reaction.

"Yep! Thanks Akashi. You helped me a lot on getting ideas. It was fun." Junko gave a toothy grin that Akashi returned with a small smile of his own.

"That's because my ideas are always the best," he claimed. Tsukiyomi couldn't help but feel hurt that Akashi smiled at Junko. She usually didn't want to get noticed but when it came to Akashi, she always attempted in trying to make him smile at her but failed over and over again.

She pushed the feeling aside when Junko had hugged her and also thanked her for helping her get ideas for her card. Fujisaki then said that she had to leave the class for a little bit and that she would be back soon.

"You're welcome Junko-chan," she said at her carefree friend. She was surprised when Junko suddenly let her go which was unusual. Junko would usually hug her while thanking her over and over again or while saying something out of the blue like how she noticed that Fujisaki-sensei was wearing a pretty necklace or what kind of foods a certain species of animal would like.

"Hey! Stop it!" cried Junko. It would be an understatement to say that everyone was surprised when they saw the girls that were declined by Tsukiyomi to go and make cards with them, pull on Junko's braids.

"You took Tsukiyomi-chan away from us! Tsukiyomi-chan shouldn't hang out with you and meanie Akashi!" They pulled on her hair harder causing Junko to scream in pain. She tried pulling her hair back but the multiple hands that gripped her hair kept on yanking, making it impossible to pull back.

"Stop! You're hurting Junko-chan," cried Tsukiyomi. She ran towards her friend but was blocked by other students.

"Tsukiyomi-chan shouldn't hang out with Junko and Akashi," the students began. Their backs were turned to face the girls pulling Junko's hair, Junko, and Akashi.

Akashi was shocked for the first few minutes, not knowing what to do. When he saw tears falling down Junko's face, he snapped out of his trance and looked around for what he could do. The large scissors he used earlier still sat on his desk because they did not complete cleaning their tables up when the bullying began.

The red hair boy grabbed the scissors and pointed them at the girls who screamed when the tip of it was right in front of their faces.

"Let go of Junko," he commanded. The girls were terrified but they did budge because they felt that Junko and Akashi did not deserve Tsukimori as their friend. What a mistake they made.

Akashi started to open and close the scissors threateningly at the girls. "I told you to let her go," he said darkly. This time the girls squeaked in fear and finally let go of their tight grip.

Junko whimpered at the sudden release and ran to hide behind Akashi.

"What's going on here?" Fujisaki re-entered the room by slamming the door open and anger starting to be seen in her eyes. She noticed the pointed scissors in Akashi's little hand towards the group of girls who began crying in fear.

"Akashi, put the scissors down, now!" she yelled. The loud voice startled the boy. Feeling the threat in his teacher's voice, he placed the scissors on the desk in front of him. Junko knew that her teacher was going to make Akashi in trouble so she decided to interfere and stop the punishment.

"Wait, Fujisaki-sensei! Akashi was protecting me!" Junko claimed. The teacher looked down at the petite girl and her eyes slightly widened at the teary face and messy hair the girl had.

"That's right! The girls began pulling Junko-chan's hair when we didn't do anything to them!" Tsukiyomi added.

"But that's because Tsukiyomi-chan wanted to hang out with meanie Akashi and Junko instead of with us!" the girls argued. Soon, all the first graders were arguing, causing the headache Fujisaki had, worse.

She understood the situation though. No one really liked Akashi because he was different from all of them. Akashi was much more mature than them and the fact that his hair color and eye color stood out added to the alien feeling when they were around him. It all changed when Junko wanted to hang out with him. She was given the opposite affect when she saw Akashi. Junko was in awe by the different hair color and eyes and the intelligence that Akashi had for his age.

Because Junko started to play with Akashi, everyone claimed her as weird and placed her on the same step as Akashi. That didn't bother the girl though because she liked playing with Akashi and the upperclassmen, from what Fujisaki observed.

The out casted duo was prone to be bullied though at this time of age. It wouldn't be long until others recognize their uniqueness but that will have to wait. Fujisaki had to deal with the matter at hand.

"Girls, it's not right to pull someone's hair if you are mad at them. You need to talk it out with that person first before you decide to actually do something about your problems. For punishment, you will stay inside during lunch for all of next week," castigated Fujisaki. The girls' faces were filled with shock but they didn't argue. "Now say sorry to Junko-chan," she ordered them.

"We're sorry Junko for pulling your hair," the girls apologized in unison. Junko gave them a look of disbelief but said it was okay, just to appease her teacher.

"It's fine." Akashi then turned towards the girls and bowed to them.

"I'm also sorry for pointing the scissors at you," he apologized. Fujisaki smiled. That was one of the reasons why she favored Akashi. Teachers tell you that they don't have favorites but let's face it. You know they like one student more than the other or at least most of them are like that. They're told that they shouldn't have favorites but they have them anyway.

"I'll talk to your father after school, Akashi-kun. He's picking you up today, correct?" Akashi stiffened but he knew the situation was unavoidable.

"Yes ma'am." Junko saw the hint of fear in Akashi's eyes. She couldn't help but feel like she was the cause of his sufferings.

"Okay everyone! Sit back down. Class is almost over so start cleaning up," she commanded. The students started to rush to pack their schoolwork and mother's day cards. Akashi had put the scissors back into the container that he took it from and walked to Junko who was absentmindedly putting away her pencil box and books.

"Are you okay Junko?" Akashi asked. Junko jumped a little to the sound of his voice but she turned her head to face him and gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine Akashi. Thank you for standing up for me. Are you okay Akashi?" she asked. Akashi knew what she was talking about but he didn't want to elaborate on the situation.

"I'm fine Junko. Your hair is messy," he commented to change the subject. Junko touched her braids to see many strands out of place.

"It's okay. I can fix it later."

"I'll help you," Akashi said. He started to pat her hair down and tried to smooth the top of her head out. Fujisaki saw them and blushed at the adorableness. If only their classmates could see this from an adult's point of view, then maybe they wouldn't get bullied so often.

"There. It looks better now," the crimson-eyed boy claimed. He smiled, thinking that he did very well on making Junko look suitable to go outside again though in reality, her hair was still a mess.

Junko giggled and gave Akashi a small hug. "Thank you, Akashi. You really are the best." Her praise created a stronger ego in Akashi that years later, it would be realized that Junko is the cause for his arrogance and partially of his talent later on in life.

Akashi smirked. "Of course I am."

"Are you okay Junko-chan?" asked Tsukimori who was walking up to Junko's desk.

"Yes, I'm okay Tsukiypmi. Thank you for standing up for Akashi."

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Akashi asked Junko who shrugged. Tsukimori giggled at the two.

"I'll see you two next week. I have to go practice for the talent show," Tsukiyomi explained to the blue eye girl.

"Okay Tsukimori! I'll see you next week!" Junko waved her hand goodbye that Tsukiyomi returned with a smile. She nodded at Akashi shyly while Akashi also nodded his head in acknowledgement in her leaving.

"Let's go outside and see your father, Akashi-kun," Fujisaki told the boy. He nodded his head and began following Fujisaki with Junko following him because they both went out through the same gate when they leave the school.

They walked through the school and out the double front doors towards the front gate of the school. Right outside the metal gates were two men, leaning their backs against a car and chatting.

"They're talking again," commented Akashi and Junko in unison. By the sound of it, it seemed that both Akashi's father and Junko's father knew each other and have spoken to each other more than once out of friendliness and comfort in each other's presence.

The fathers took notice of their children and the teacher standing beside them and so they ceased their conversation that earlier, was filled with smiles and laughter. Crimson eyes became concerned and curious as he saw Fujisaki approach him.

"Hello, Akashi-san. I take it you are Akashi-kun's father?"

"I am."

"I would like to discuss about your son's behavior today."

"What happened?" he asked while closing his eyes. Akashi felt guilt, seeing that he was wasting his father's time again. He bowed his head down, not wanting to look his father in the eye.

"Akashi-kun pointed scissors and threatened them," Fujisaki started. Akashi's father's eyes narrowed as he looked at his son with disappointment. "…but he did it to save Junko-chan from being bullied. Some students were pulling her hair due to jealousy of one of my students only hanging out with her and Akashi. They wouldn't back down when they told him once, I heard, and so he had to use scissors to make sure they let her go," explained the first grade teacher.

Akashi's father's eyes slightly widened in surprise. He did not expect his son to stand up for someone. It never happened before when he was told of bullying incidents but the boy didn't get himself involve.

"I'm glad you stood up for someone, Seijuurou but we'll learn how to deal with bullies without using scissors. Okay?" Akashi was surprised by his father's acceptance in his actions which was a first. He smiled at his father and nodded.

"Okay, otou-san," he replied.

"Now that that's over with, I shall see you two next week." Fujisaki said goodbye and her two students waved their hands and also said goodbye to their teacher.

Once Fujisaki was out of sight, Junko's father crouched down to look at Junko in the eye who looked at him curiously.

"Akashi-kun's father asked me if our family would like to go to a party that they are hosting for mother's day. Mommy says yes but we need one more yes if we want to go. How about it?" he asked Junko.

"Really, Daddy?" she asked, excitement sounded from her voice. He nodded and Junko began to beam. "Yay! We're going to Akashi's party!" She jumped for joy and ran to Akashi. Junko held his hands with hers and began shaking them violently in pure joy. The sudden and non-stop movement began to irritate Akashi.

"Please let go of my hands Junko," he said (more like commanded even though he said please).

"Ah! Sorry Akashi."

"It's okay. You have to dress up if you want to go to the party," he started to explain.

"You mean I have to wear a dress?" she asked.

"That's right."

…

Silence.

"Junko?"

"I don't really like dresses but if Akashi says I need to wear it, I'll wear it," she admitted in defeat even though the crimson-eye boy didn't say anything about her having to wear it. Then again, he would have said that she would have to wear a dress so it didn't matter either way.

"Before that, we have something we need to discuss with the both of you," Akashi's father said. The two children stared at the grown-up with anticipating yet curious eyes. He crouched down and whispered into both of their ears.

The duo nodded their head in understanding and bright smiles beamed on their faces, ready to execute the secret mission given to them.

The next day came as if it took a trillion years to reach that day for Junko. She was at the epiphany of her excitement that her energy lasted her until the middle of the night that day. Her parents sleepily watched her running around the house and planning what she would do at the party.

She was woken up by the rays of sunlight that peaked through the cracks of the curtains. Her little mouth opened into a wide 'O' as she yawned. She blinked her half-lidded eyes several times then slipped herself off of her bed and to the bathroom where she headed to every morning.

After doing her business, she began brushing her teeth over the sink. She stood on a stool that was high enough for her to reach the faucet and any other items needed for her to get herself ready in the morning which was only a bar of soap, toothpaste, a cup for washing her mouth, and a washcloth.

Junko felt a little more awake but still sleepy after washing her face. She then went down the spiral staircase that led to the first floor of her house. Her little hands began to rub her eyes as she attempted to still try and wake herself up.

Her dragging feet finally made it to the entrance of the kitchen. She pulled out a stool and opened the refrigerator. On the second bottom shelf filled with other vegetables and Asian condiments was a small cup with a lid and a swirly straw. Inside the cup was a cold, white liquid that was said to make her bones and teeth stronger as well as make her taller.

Junko smiled to herself as she withdrew the cup that contained her daily milk and began sipping from the straw. Her lazy eyes were entranced by the swirling path the milk took as it traveled up the straw and into her mouth.

"Oh, there you are Sumi-chan. Are you ready for today?" asked Junko's mother.

"Ohayo gozaimasu. Happy mother's day Mommy," greeted the daughter. She stared into her mother's chocolate eyes in confusion, not knowing what her mother was talking about.

"Thank you Sumi-chan. Are you ready for the party?" Junko's mother asked again. Another minute passed until Junko eyes widened in realization.

"I forgot!" she exclaimed in her childish horror. Her mother giggled in amusement and patted her daughter's head.

"Eat breakfast first and we can get you ready once you're done, okay?"

"Okay Mommy!"

"Happy mother's day!" Junko's father entered the kitchen where Junko and her mother was. Her mother thanked him and gave him a kiss on a cheek. He returned the gesture by lightly kissing Junko's mother on the nose and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist.

Junko's mother freed herself from her husband's grasp and began making coffee for her and her husband. Because it was mother's day, Junko's father insisted on making breakfast. When he said this, both mother and daughter agreed immediately because the father's cooking skill when it came to breakfast, was one mean ol' breakfast that no one could get enough of.

This breakfast consisted of soft, fluffy pancakes topped with maple syrup and light, sweet whip cream. There was also the most savory scrambled eggs that had salt, grounded black pepper, scallions, and his secret ingredient, fish sauce. He also grilled some taters and sausages that would complete the perfect breakfast meal for this happy, excited family.

After eating and cleaning the table (with many compliments to the chef and the multiple sayings of 'happy mother's day' and saying 'thank you' for all the mother's hard work), Junko and her mother went to the master bathroom. There, Junko combed her tangled hair out and allowed her mother to do her magic.

Her mother began with the girl's bangs and started to braid it to the child's right side and behind her ear. Once tucked behind her hair, pins were attached to keep the braided bang in place. Junko looked stylish and cute with her braided bang and with the rest of her hair down.

Next was the dress which Junko despised the most but seeing how it was a fanciful kind of party, she had reluctantly agreed to her mother's choice of dress. The dress was white with two inch straps and a blue sash that tied at the waist. Matching white shoes followed and soon, Junko's mother was goggling over her child's adorable look.

"You look so cute Sumi-chan!" she exclaimed while hugging her child into a tight embrace. She then hurried to dress herself as she ran into her room and picked out her dress. Junko was left in front of the mirror in her room and she stared at herself. She blushed at the sight of herself and couldn't really believe that it was her.

"Sumi-chan looks so pretty!" praised her father as he entered the room and picked up his daughter and spun her around. She laughed at the sudden action and the speed as her father twirled her around.

"Thank you Daddy," she said to her father with a genuine smile on her face. Junko's father was wearing a white shirt and black tied. A button black jacket was over his shirt and tie, making him look very formal and wealthy.

"Are we ready to go?" he asked.

"Yep!" Her mother came re-entered the room, sparkling under the eyes of her husband and her child. She wore a blue dress that had a flow-y skirt but also nicely fitted her figure.

"Mommy looks really pretty!" exclaimed Junko as she jumped from her father's arms and ran over to her mother.

"Why, thank you Sumi-chan," she said and hugged her child. "Shall we get going?"

"We're ready Mommy." With that, they went to the silver, sleek car and seated themselves inside of it. After what seemed to be eternity, Junko saw a large gate with a high fence attached to both sides. She gaped at the entrance but what was inside these high and mighty walls astounded her even more.

A large house appeared in front of her that was seemed to be three stories tall (technically there is two but there was also a large attic in the house so the outside appearance made the home seem large than what it actually was for people to actually spend their time in).

They parked in the driveway where many other vehicles were parked that varied in shape and size and color. Junko held her father's hand as she stepped out of the car and walked with him out to the front door where her mother rang the doorbell.

"Ah, Hiroto, you're here," answered a man with bright red hair as he opened the door. "Come in. My wife would like to meet you and your family. It's also a pleasure to meet you Junko-san. Your husband has told me much about you."

"My husband has also been talking a lot about you as well, Akashi-san. He was so excited to make a friend that he shared many beliefs with. My name is Junko Temaki."

"I am Akashi Yuudai. It is an honor to hear that as well."

"Hello Akashi-san," Junko greeted when she felt it was necessary to say something.

"Hello Junko-chan. How are you today?" he asked, turning his attention to the little girl.

"I'm well," she answered politely.

"You look very pretty today."

"Thank you Akashi-san."

"Seijuurou has been waiting to see you since yesterday. He's been very excited."

"Haha. Kasumi has also been excited. We couldn't sleep until midnight last night because of her hyper activeness," commented Junko's father, Hiroto.

"It's not often that she gets hyper like that but something must have excited her to be this way," Junko's mother, Temaki, added.

"Well, let's not chat out here. Come in, come in. Welcome to my humble abode." He gestured the family into the house which they entered and began to feel the warm comfortable feeling upon entering the house. Akashi's father closed the door behind them then led the family to the family room where many adults and children were gathered, leisurely talking to each other and playing around.

A hair with shoulder-length red hair came walking towards them, followed by Akashi.

"I'm here Akashi!" greeted Junko as she saw the crimson-eyed boy walking towards her. "It's nice to meet you too Akashi-san!" She bowed down to the red hair woman who she correctly assumed was Akashi's mother.

"Aww! She's as polite and energetic as you had described her," the woman mused.

"Hiroto, Temaki. I would like you to meet my wife, Akashi Tomoko."

They all introduced themselves to each other and Tomoko couldn't help but praise the beauty in the blue-eye girl. Junko was uncomfortable by the sudden attention but didn't budge because she didn't know what to do.

"Okaa-san. Junko doesn't seem to like it when you pet her," Akashi told his mother.

_Pet?!_

Did she really seem like a pet? For some reason, Junko felt displeased by being treated as a doll or a pet and gave a small pout that caught the adults and Akashi's attention.

"Before anything gets out of hand, I need Sejuurou and Junko-chan to do something for. Let's go you two," Yuudai said.

"Okay," the two children agreed in unison and followed the man up the stairs and into the playroom that usually wasn't occupied during any parties that they hosted.

"The both of you know what to do correct?" asked Yuudai as he opened the door and walked into the dark room. He turned pressed on the light switch, causing light to wash away the darkness of the room.

"We do otou-san," answered Akashi. "These are the tissue paper we are going to use. We did a lot of them last night. We only need a little bit more and then we can hand them out." The boy pointed out to the table where pink tissue paper was stacked along with green pipe cleaners and scissors.

"Let's hurry Akashi," jumped Junko excitedly. The boy nodded and they began their secret mission with the silent consent of the father.

"Come out when you're done and tell me, okay?"

"Okay!" Yuudai walked out of the room and down the stairs, closing the door behind him to let the children to get to work with the pipe cleaners and tissue. He had already taught his son how to make the presents for mother's day and now it was up to him to teach Junko and finish the project.

For the rest of the afternoon, he, Hiroto, and the other fathers of the party had to distract their wives from the suspicious acts of the children. At one corner of the house, some children had buckets of red paint and a white banner along with paint brushes and aprons. In the backyard, other children had been sneaking appetizers and other food behind the backyard's oldest oak tree where they were arranging the edible substances on plates just like what the pictures had shown them to create. Lastly were the two children in the secluded playroom, working on creating ruffles with pink tissue paper and tying them together with the green, fuzzy wires.

An hour passed without the children being noticed by the older women. The father's would check up on the children every now and then to see how they were doing. Once everyone announced that they were done with their part, the plan was set into action.

The children who were painting washed their hands and took the mini aprons off of them and began bringing the banner out to their fathers while food decorated plates were being sent, one at a time, inside the house and set on a table.

The mothers were all outside gossiping and chatting on shopping and drama that went on in their lives. Tomoko and Temaki had noticed the sudden yet barely noticeable activity of the children. They soon wondered where their own son and daughter were. Seeing the questioning looks on the women's faces, Hiroto walked over to them and began to distract them by talking to them about what kind of work they did for a living.

Seats were set up inside the household with a single pink flower on specific seats. Name tags were also placed on all the chairs, indicating who sat where. Once everything was placed, the children stood next to the seats with their parents' names on them. Yuudai gave a thumbs up to signal Hiroto that everything was ready. Junko's father nodded and continued on talking with the females.

Yuudai walked out and stood on a chair. "Excuse me," the man started. In one try, he had gained everyone's attention with his strong voice. Eyes stared up at him in confusion and others in understanding. "I would like for everyone to go inside now. There is a little surprise that I would like to show to all mothers on this mother's day." People began to murmur and began walking into the house. Yuudai jumped off of the chair and walked over to his wife.

"What kind of surprise could you have hidden from me?" asked his wife.

"A very nice one," came his vague answer. He held his wife's hand and led her into the house.

"I am curious about what you planned. The children seem to be involved because they are acting like they are ninjas everywhere," commented Temaki.

"Very sharp, Temaki-san. You'll see what the children did for you." When the couples entered the house, the women's eyes widened as they saw the decorated room in front of them. There against one side of the room was a banner, painted on it "Happy Mother's Day!" Under the banner was a table filled with food that when pieced together, created a picture of a carnation on it and other flowers surrounding the main picture.

On the seats stood their children, their hands behind their backs and name tags on their seats. In the front row, Junko and Akashi stood with impatient eyes looking at their mothers. The parents walked over to their offspring, the men leading the women.

"What's this?" asked Tomoko to her son who still had his hands behind his back and his head looking up at his mother. All the women faced their back towards the banner where Yuudai stood and faced the audience, his three fingers held up high for the men and children to see. One at a time the fingers curled into the palm of the red-hair man. Once all the fingers were down, the fathers and children in unison exclaimed, "Happy Mother's Day!"

The children put their hands in front of them which revealed them holding a handmade carnation made out of pink paper and green pipe cleaners. They gave to their mothers the flowers who hugged their children in gratitude.

"Thank you Junko. How long have you planned this?" asked Temaki to her husband.

"All the dads have been planning this for a month. All the children found out last night," explained Yuudai.

"This really is a surprise. Who made the carnations?" Tomoko asked this time.

"Otou-san and I made most of the carnations last night when Okaa-san went to sleep. Junko and I finished making them in the playroom today," explained Akashi.

"Yep! Akashi taught me how to make the carnations. It was a lot of work and it was a lot of fun!" Junko added in excitement.

The rest of the party went with a speech from Yuudai who thanked the mothers for being wonderful partners to their husbands as well as domestic engineers who raised their children so wonderfully. After the speech, families had spent time with each other with talking, playing, and eating.

Akashi and Junko had another memory that would be secretly engraved into their hearts as a sign of their bonding growing stronger. Year after year, they would make something with the symbol of a carnation on it whenever they gave gifts to their mothers. Mother's day wasn't celebrated as extravagant as this for the next several years but with only their families. There were some times where the Akashi household and Junko household would get together and celebrate this day as well as father's day (which the Junko's family introduced since they lived in America and they celebrated the holiday more widely) when the time came.

* * *

_A/N: Another long chapter. This one is actually longer than the last one. Yes, I know this was posted on Valentine's day but this chapter worked better with Mother's day. I've started to appreciate my mom as well a lot more than the usual so I wanted to write this. _

_I finally figured out names for their parents as well. Finally, huh? I couldn't keep their identity in the dark. Next chapter will be a time skip into the second grade!_

_Please drop a review and tell me your comments, questions, concerns, criticisms, etc. Thank you for reading and until next time!_


	4. Chapter 3: Kohaku

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket or any of its characters except for my OCs._

_A/N: I should be doing homework but I love writing too much right now that if I don't write, I go crazy because I have an idea in my mind that I need to put out now otherwise I will forget. This chapter I was really debating on whether I wanted one of them to get kidnapped and the parents to get blackmailed or to just write a somewhat sad but happy play-date type thing. Seeing how everything the past few chapters were depressing enough with bullying and a car accident with character deaths, I decided to go against the kidnapping idea. It shall stay that way unless someone actually wants to see that happen. I really liked the idea but as I said, the past few chapters already was angsty enough as it is._

_Well, I hope you guys enjoy!_

* * *

A year has passed and Junko was in the second grade, much to her excitement. Her homeroom teacher changed and was no longer Fujisaki, or at least until the end of the first semester where their teacher had quit due to him not being able to handle little kids. It wasn't surprising seeing how their ex-homeroom teacher used to teach middle schoolers. The drastic change in maturity was too much for the teacher to handle and so he quit while Fujisaki became their teacher once more.

She had control over her students and knew each and every one of them by heart that she knew what they were doing without even looking at them. Example: One of the students was about to put an earthworm in Tsukiyomi's hair while Fujisaki faced the black board and was writing something down but as there was a tenth of a centimeter left for the earthworm to touch the girl's hair, Fujisaki warned him not to do it otherwise she would have a talk with his parents. It was a woman's intuition that led her to know her students but she allowed the children to believe that she had psychic powers.

While this happened daily, Junko watched in amusement as she sees her classmates' attempts on trying to prank others but fail whenever Fujisaki was around. No one dared due it to Junko either because, like Fujisaki, she was believed to have psychic powers and know when someone was trying to do something to her.

Akashi, the red hair boy that is Junko's best friend and seatmate, on the other hand just has really good eyes and he was feared by most of the class so no one even thinks about even attempting to fool him. If they were stupid enough to do so, punishment was sure to follow.

That aside, today was a special day for the class. It was a day that Junko and Akashi would remember because of a little, feline creature that entered their lives.

"Akashi!" Junko cried out from the entrance of the school building.

The crimson-eyed boy turned his head to look at Junko with an unreadable gaze. He was walking from the school under the blue sky with white, cotton clouds silently floating on the sea of blue. The sun had started to set or so they could tell by the change in its position and the barely noticeable change in the light. A shadow covered part of the boy's face, giving off a cool aura that most girls, young or old, adored from afar.

"What is it?" Akashi asked, curious about why he was being stopped to go home suddenly.

"There's a kitty that won't stop following me!" Junko whined. "It's cute and it has white, brown and black spots on it and I petted it for a bit and now it's following me! I like kitties but I feel weird when it follows me." A small 'meow' was heard from behind Junko which made her jump. She began running and hid behind Akashi from the adorable calling.

There sitting right in front of the doors was a calico kitten with heterochromatic eyes, one yellow and the other an unusually red color. It swished its tail left and then right in a lazy motion while it stared intently at Junko.

Akashi blinked at the feline and slowly approached it. He kneeled down and held his hand out to the kitten, but not really expecting it to do anything. He was surprised when it lifted its paw and placed it on top of Akashi's palm.

Junko leaned in to see what Akashi was doing. When she saw his face, she nearly squealed out of excitement. Upon the face of the usually charismatic and non-smiling Akashi was a small smile of acceptance and happiness as the feather-soft paw of the kitten was placed on his hand.

To see this smile was rare and Junko wished she had a camera to take a picture of him and the kitten.

After several minutes of just staying in place with the kitten's paw still in Akashi's hand, Akashi pulled his hand away slightly then began scratching the back of the feline's ears. The calico kitten began to purr in satisfaction from the attention.

Both children began to observe the kitten more closely and noticed how disastrous it looked despite its large, adorable, eyes. There was barely any meat to the baby for you could see the outline of its ribcage and its spine. Its fur was disheveled, dirty and long. Junko and Akashi began to feel sorry for the creature but they did not know what to do.

Fujisaki walked from around the corner and saw her ace students at the main entrance of the school, kneeling down and seeming to be distracted by something. Akashi's hand was in front of him and he seemed to be scratching something while Junko was leaning over Akashi's shoulders to get a better view at what he was supposedly scratching.

The sound of purring softly came to the second grade teacher's ears. She walked over to the duo, careful to not step loudly on the concrete with the clattering of her high heels.

Despite her effort, she was still noticed. Junko's ocean-blue irises turned to face her teacher. They seemed to be shocked, nervous, confused and indecisive all at once. Fujisaki stood still, waiting for Junko to say something.

The ebony-haired girl looked back and forth between the kitten and Fujisaki and back to the kitten. What was she going to do? Akashi had also noticed his teacher's presence but it was hard for him not to stop giving attention to the kitten.

Finally deciding that there was nothing she could do about the pitiful kitten, Junko walked to her teacher, ready to explain about the once stalking kitten.

"Ano, Fujisaki-sensei," Junko started. Fujisaki looked down at Junko with curious eyes but tried not to make herself look intimidating to the six year old.

"Yes?"

"Well, there was this cute kitty that has been following me since the end of school. Now, Akashi and I started to pet it but we don't know what to do," Junko asked timidly. If there was one thing Junko was afraid of, it was the opinions of adults. There was nothing wrong with the adults in anyway but Junko was just anxious about what they thought of what she did because she valued their opinions a lot.

"Can I see the kitty?" Fujisaki asks. Junko nodded and rushed to Akashi's side. Fujisaki walks over and looks at the adorable kitten leaning its head into Akashi's hand as the boy used a single finger to scratch behind its ear.

"Isn't he cute?" Junko asks as she listens to the soft purr of the small creature.

"How do you know if the cat is a he?" Akashi asked.

"… I don't," replied Junko. "The kitten just looks like a 'he'." Akashi sighed at the lack of logic to that answer.

"It is. Do you think your parent's would let you keep it?" Junko and Akashi turned their heads towards each other and blinked several times, contemplating if their parents would give them permission to keep a pet. Akashi was the first to speak.

"I like cats but I don't think otou-san would like to have a pet," he said with a solemn expression on his face.

"I don't know. I guess I should ask," Junko said. She turned around to look at the school gate. She spotted to males leaning against the gate, talking to each other. The sight was common and nowhere near unusual but Junko did notice that they seemed much too close to each other for them to have known each other after she and her family moved to Japan.

That was the least of her worries though, for the moment. She turned back to the kitten and kneeled. Junko then lifted one of her hands to the kitten. At this point, Akashi stopped scratching the feline's ears. The attention was now on Junko and if the kitten would accept her hand to be held after Junko had slightly pushed it away for following her earlier.

The air became tense, even for such an unnecessary reason for it to be tense at all yet it was like the decision would decide the life and death of them all.

The calico kitten stared at Junko with its big, sharp, round eyes of crimson and gold. Those eyes were all too familiar as if she had seen them in a dream or somewhere in reality but she could not put her finger on the similarity. The minute was long. It was very long. It was like eternity at that very moment.

Junko's father and Akashi's father walked towards their children, curious as of why they were kneeling in front of the school entrance.

"What's going on?" Junko Hiroto asked? He looked down at his daughter to see her hand outstretched to a scrawny kitten with fixed eyes on his daughter. The creature didn't seem harmful but Hiroto was quite unsure if he wanted his daughter next to a stray cat.

As he thought this, the kitten finally stood up on all fours and crawled onto Junko's palm then up her arm and onto her shoulder. There it lied down and purred in satisfaction to be near the person it wanted to be next to since the beginning. Junko smiled brightly and pointed at the kitten to Akashi. She mouthed, 'Isn't this cute?'

Akashi smiled at Junko and thought she looked cute with the tiny kitten on her shoulder. He nodded in response to her unsaid question. The ebony-haired girl slowly stood up with the kitten on her shoulders.

"Can we keep him?" Junko asked the epitomic question that all children would ask if they could keep a stray animal as a pet to their parents. "I promise to take good care of him," came the infamous promise to try and reassure parents that their children could take care of a pet.

Hiroto gave a hearty laugh. "I like animals so why not? But it also depends if your mother is okay with it. Okay?" Junko beamed and hugged her father tightly while making sure the kitten wouldn't fall off her shoulders.

"I don't know how you can stand animals, Hiroto," Akashi Yuudai commented at his friend's carefree nature. "I'll admit that I like domestic cats out of all of the animals in the world but overall, they are all bothersome to take care off."

"But that's what makes life exciting. You need a few bothersome things in your life no matter how small it is," Hiroto argued back with a grin on his face.

Soon both fathers began to glare at each other with Yuudai having a stern stare while Hiroto had his eyes slightly closed yet still smiling while staring at the latter, both giving off an unsettling aura.

Fujisaki just stood there, unable to really move, as if stuck in the situation even though she really wasn't. Junko stared at the two men with a smiling face but she wasn't actually happy nor was she oblivious to the situation. Akashi was stoic and didn't seem to care what the two men were doing at all. Either way, the two children stared at the men with those expressions on their faces that would say, "Here we go again with the unneeded-philosophical-arguments-of-strange topics."

"Um, well, I have to get going now," Fujisaki finally excused herself from the awkwardness of the whole thing. She nodded and quickly walked away, wondering if the two children had to put up with this behavior often.

The two men's gaze did not move one bit until they both felt a tug on their shirts. Hiroto looked down to see his daughter there, staring up at him. "We have to go home and tell Mommy about the kitten," she said in English. When it came to her parents, Junko would use a mix of English and Japanese in her sentences as she spoke to them and vice versa.

"We have to go home too, otou-san," Akashi said. Yuudai sighed, noticing how he nor Hiroto had not one a single argument they ever had with each other.

"I guess we should get going. Ah, that's right. Tomoko and I are going to a meeting this weekend and we need someone to watch Seijuurou for us. The usual baby sitter is out this weekend on vacation so we just need someone to look after him for us while we're gone for the day. You don't have anything to do this weekend, right, Hiroto?" Yuudai asked. Hiroto knew immediately what he was going to ask and had no problem with taking care of his friend's son for the day. Junko wouldn't be bored that weekend either so it would be a win-win kind of matter.

"I'm free that weekend. If you're going to ask if I can watch over your son for you, I don't mind. Junko would be glad to have a playmate this weekend." Akashi and Junko gave each other a secret glance. They knew what they were going to do that weekend. "Is that okay with you?" Hiroto asked his daughter.

Junko nodded. "Of course!" she replied cheerfully.

…

"Wait," Junko said, stopping her father from dragging her to the car. "The weekend is tomorrow right? Why do we keep saying the weekend when Saturday is tomorrow?" Junko asked as she realized the dates and days of that month and what day it would be the next day.

"We just like saying it," her father gave an easy explanation. Junko just nodded, not wanting to go into depth into the conversation that she would usually stir but now, she had tomorrow to look forward to.

"Okay." She then turned her head to Akashi and his father. "I'll see you tomorrow Akashi and Akashi-san!" Junko waved goodbye before she disappeared into the metal vehicle. The car drove away while Akashi and Yuudai walked to their own car.

"What do you think about animals, Seijuurou?" asked Yuudai as he walked through the door that was opened for him and his son by the chauffeur.

Akashi followed his father and sat next to his father. "Most are bothersome but I do not mind having a cat," Akashi said truthfully. His father grunted. Akashi couldn't tell if it was because he agreed on not minding to have a cat or if he disapproved of him liking an animal at all.

* * *

The next day came like a warm breeze of a summer day except it was spring and dark clouds blanketed the sky, not wanting to expose the blue sky above them. It was gloomy and it was threatening to rain though the weatherman said there was only a 20% chance of rain. Even if it was going to rain, it would light and that the waterworks would not last very long. There was actually more of a chance that the sky might brighten later that day as well.

That did not stop the excitement Junko felt as she anticipated Akashi to come any minute now. She wanted to show the newly groomed and improved kitten that her parents allowed her to keep that she named Kohaku, or Amber in English. This was because amber seemed like a mix of red and yellow creating the glowing tint of orange.

Not only that but her parents had determined for her that Kohaku was a male cat. How they did, she didn't know or at least for now she didn't.

At this moment, she was playing with the fed kitten as she gave it a small ball of red yarn. The cat actively pounced at the ball only for it to roll or bounce away. Sometimes Junko would take the ball from the kitten and lightly threw it across the room for Kohaku to chase.

The doorbell rang and Junko's head perked up as well did Kohaku's. Junko stood up and picked up Kohaku, placing him on her shoulder. Ever since yesterday when Kohaku had climbed onto Junko's shoulder, Junko found it fitting for him to always be on her shoulder.

She then ran to the front door where she saw three red heads. She then stood next to her mother who had opened the door to the Akashi family.

"Hello Akashi-san and Akashi-san. Hi, Akashi," greeted Junko. She bowed to the family as she would always do when they were together and greeted each other.

"How are you Junko-chan?" asked Akashi Temaki in her sweet voice that she would rarely use on anyone except for her husband, her child and other family members or at least it was that way until she met the Junko family. She had taken a liking to Junko at her timid nature around adults and her cute looks and how she was Akashi's first true friend.

"I'm well, Akashi-san. How are you?"

"I feel wonderful knowing that Sei-chan will be safe with you today. I also feel sad because I can't take care of my boy," Tomoko began complaining.

"Okaa-san," Akashi said in a warning voice. He disapproved of his mother whining about him. It was childish for her age and it was embarrassing. He could not understand why his mother was able to make such an embarrassing voice along with childish complaints to those that are close to her. Did his mother not know shame towards family members or anyone that she considered as family at all?

"Haha, sorry Sei-chan. You know that I do worry about you though. Be careful, okay? We'll be gone for the whole day and we will most likely not come back until late tonight. Sleep if you have to, okay?" Tomoko hugged her son tightly, not wanting to let go. To her, it was like the end of the world and that she was sacrificing her life to keep her son safe.

Akashi sighed at the affection and hugged his mother back. He didn't mind the hug but it was the way she hugged him that bothered him.

"You will behave, correct?" Yuudai asked Akashi. A stern stare was given to his son that Akashi returned.

"I will, otou-san."

"Good. We will see you later then." Yuudai patted Akashi's hair, making it messier than what it already was from waking up early. "Take care of him, Hiroto. If anything happens to him, you will suffer the consequences." Hiroto had entered the room quite a while ago but made his presence unknown to his daughter and wife. They turned around surprised yet not surprised to see him.

There was no purpose for Hiroto to be quiet about his entrances but he did it anyway just because he enjoyed being silent at times despite his happy-go-lucky personality.

"Don't worry Yuudai. It's not like I don't know that you would harm me if I did something horribly wrong so you can count on me. Honestly, how much more protective can you be about your son?" Hiroto questioned.

"I will go all the way if I have to. You know that better than anyone else," Yuudai retorted. Hiroto sighed.

"Just go. You'll be late if you delay your stay here any longer. I already said I would watch your son so I'll watch him," Junko's father reassured the other man.

Yuudai nodded and proceded out the door followed by his wife. "We shall see you later tonight." Yuudai left with the ominous goodbye that made Junko froze in place. That argument was different than the usual bickering their fathers had.

It was much more… serious and intense and had some kind of meaning that Junko could partly understand. If Junko was able to form larger words as a six year old about the event, she would say that it was dramatic. It was like a showdown waiting to happen.

"Meow," cried a little voice on Junko's shoulder. Akashi turned his head to finally notice the calico cat on Junko's shoulder.

"I forgot. We get to keep Kohaku, Akashi! Kohaku is a boy and we cleaned him. Doesn't he look nice?" Junko began scratching behind the ears of the kitten, making it purr.

"Kohaku… It suits him," Akashi complimented while also petting the petite kitten.

"It does. Kohaku is the size of Daddy's hand when he curls up to go to sleep!" exclaimed Junko. There were sparkles in her eyes that Akashi had a hard not noticing. For some reason, he had a bad feeling.

"Kohaku is small."

The parents felt ignored but that was fine, seeing how the kids were entertained by their new pet. Hiroto needed to get the kids' attention though in order for him to make the day go any faster.

"Okay! Now that we are all here, who's ready to go shopping with me to buy the stuff for Kohaku here? He needs a place to sleep and toys to play with and a place to go to the bathroom." The last part was unneeded as Junko stuck her tongue out in disgust and Akashi scrunched his nose up. Hiroto laughed at their expressions.

The sound of shopping for Kohaku sounded appealing though so why not? Akashi and Junko agreed to go. They were even more excited when Hiroto added that Kohaku could go with them as well.

"On our way back, we can go to the park and play some basketball as well," Hiroto said, much to the children's delight. Junko was talking everyday about how she and Akashi would always play basketball with their upperclassmen so he figured that the two really enjoyed the sport.

Hiroto himself had played basketball for his high school basketball team and so he encouraged the sport for his daughter to learn even if it was just for fun.

Junko Temaki insisted that Hiroto and the kids go out and have fun while she got lunch ready and things for the kids to do when they got back home. From Junko's experience, that would be a packet or two of homework and maybe some board games. Speaking of board games, Akashi had been explaining to Junko the past few weeks about a new board game he liked playing. He had brought it today to teach Junko how to play as they had planned whenever they had time.

The three left in the car under the gray-covered sky and gloomy environment. Usually people would be walking out and about on the weekends but due to the weather forecast, it seems that people have stayed inside enjoying the comforts of home but wasting their day away being passive for that weekend.

The drive was silent for the whole ten minutes other than the sound of Kohaku pouncing from one side of the car to the other in the back of the car where Akashi and Junko was sitting, chasing the small red ball of yarn.

When they arrived at the pet store, Kohaku was ready to jump out of the car and run loose into the parking lot. Luckily, Akashi had grabbed the kitten before he could even take a step forward.

Kohaku squirmed in his grasp but gave up after realizing that he had no chance of escaping. Akashi had placed Kohaku on his left shoulder which the kitten relaxed onto. Akashi was pleased by the result and jumped out of the car after Junko.

They had walked into the store that was filled with a variety of pets. To Kohaku's displeasure, he saw dogs twenty times bigger than himself that looked at the kitten with attentive eyes. The calico kitten hissed, warning the dogs to stay away but what use was it when he was so tiny? Well, it was worth a try.

"Let's go this way," Hiroto said, walking towards the bed section of the store. There were many pillows and cages lined up in color and size that towered above the two children and the kitten. They stared up at the rainbows of cotton and plastic until Hiroto stopped in front of a particularly small bedding that was red with gold trimmings. It was larger than Kohaku by thrice his size. It was important for Kohaku to get a rather large bed for him because from what the Junko household learned that night, was that Kohaku had a tendency to turn a lot in his sleep.

Kohaku looked at the bed Hiroto pointed to the children. The kitten meowed in agreement that they should get that particular bed.

Next they looked for the feeding bowls for pets.

"Kohaku is really small right now but he'll grow so we'll need a slightly bigger bowl too. Which one shall we get?" Hiroto asked.

"What about this one?" Junko pointed out to a medium sized bowl that was an emerald green color.

"That's big, Junko," Akashi said. "Kohaku could fit in it and sleep in there if he wanted to." Junko looked at the whole in the bowl than she turned her head to look at Kohaku that was on Akashi's shoulder. She estimated the size and soon she was able to imagine a sleeping calico kitten in the bowl.

"You're right…" The blue-eyed girl sighed and put the bowl back.

"Then what about this blue one?" Hiroto had picked out a smaller bowl that was a cerulean blue with white fish decorating the sides of the bowl.

Junko giggled at the design and nodded her head in approval. Akashi did the same while Kohaku was scrambling to stand on his feet while on Akashi's shoulder while trying to get a closer look at the bowl.

"It's like a pond with fish in it," Akashi determined after staring at the bowl for a while that he held in his hands.

"It is," agreed Junko. She held the red bed in her hands while following her father who was trying to find a shopping cart that they forgot to get at the beginning of their shopping trip.

"Found one," Hiroto said to no one in particular. He then took the bed and food bowl from Junko and Akashi and placed them inside. "Now, let's go look for a litter box, cleaning supplies, cat food, toys, and… I think that's it."

The three hurried around the store looking for the items on their list. This took them about 20 minutes and on the way, Kohaku fell asleep. Now he was carried in Junko's arms, snuggling to her closely. Junko felt the small amount of heat from the small creature and it mesmorized her for a few minutes.

The little ball of heat that was soft and furry warmed her hands. She couldn't help but feel that it was her love for the kitten which was why it was so warm in her arms. Junko didn't say this out loud but Akashi noticed her happy face while staring down at Kohaku. It wasn't her usual overly cheery face but it expressed a gentler feeling. Her eyes were soft with a caring gaze at the creature that they had only found yesterday.

Who knew that a single, stray kitten could affect the hearts the two children and make them put up faces that would rarely be seen. There was now a comfortable silence as Hiroto paid for the items at the cash register and the kids' attention was on the cat or at least until a puppy walked up to them.

"Hi there," Junko greeted the dog as it panted and stared up at the girl while wagging its short tail in an excited manner. The puppy was small and fluffy and covered in golden fur. Its eyes were round unlike Kohaku's sharp ones. It barked at them to continue to get their attention.

Akashi felt uncomfortable for an unknown reason around the puppy. Despite its cute looks, the red head boy had a bad vibe about the canine. It was the same bad feeling had earlier on in the day.

"There you are Zuzu! I'm sorry that my dog bothered you. He likes to be around people a lot, especially with little kids."

"Haha, that's fine. My daughter and her friend seems to like your dog, right?" Hiroto asked Junko and Akashi.

"Yep," Junko briefly answered.

"Not exactly," Akashi murmured. Junko stared at him and became worried as she felt a dark aura emitting from her friend. This was a bad sign and anyone could tell. If they couldn't see this then they must be an idiot.

His crimson eyes averted from the dog, hopefully not to get its attention but it seemed to not have worked as Zuzu trotted to Akashi and sniffed his shoes. Akashi looked down at the dog and thought he could give it a chance.

The crimson eyed boy kneeled and lifted his hand in front of him.

"Paw," he ordered in a light tone that wasn't too commanding. The dog just stared at him for several long seconds but then sat down and turned its head a way in rejection.

A vein popped on Akashi's face as the dog turned its head away from him. "Stand," Akashi ordered. The dog continued to refuse and disobey Akashi's wishes. This kind of behavior was unacceptable period to any of the Akashi family.

"Uh oh," Junko said to herself as she saw the scene before her. This was not good at all.

Kohaku stirred in her arms, beginning to wake up. She had found her excuse to keep Akashi calm before he would explode and do harm to the puppy.

"Ne, Akashi. Kohaku is starting to wake up and my arms are kind of tired. Do you want to hold him?" Akashi turned his head with cold eyes staring at Junko. The stare wasn't directed at her but it was more so because he was irritated with the puppy.

"I'd like to hold him," Akashi replied, accepting the sleepy kitten in his arms. He turned his complete attention to the kitten, ignoring the canine that was now whimpering for attention.

"That's strange," the owner of Zuzu began. "Zuzu doesn't usually disobey these simple commands. I wonder why."

Junko chuckled nervously. "Who knows?" With that, they said their farewells and left the pet store. Junko was relieved that they left and that Akashi was completely distracted by Kohaku. She kept in mind to find ways to try and calm Akashi down when there was a dog around.

"Now that we're done, let's go to the park! Let me call your mother really quick so that she knows that we are done shopping." Hiroto took out his cellphone and pressed a button, leaving his finger on there until it changed screens to be calling someone. Speed dial was so convenient nowadays when he had to call someone important.

"Okay, Daddy," Junko said. She then turned her attention to Akashi. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Akashi nods while playing with Kohaku with one of his new toys of a toy mice with catnip in it. "I'm fine," he answered. "I don't like dogs at all though," the boy added. Junko stifled a giggle before commenting on her friend's confession.

"That's fine if Akashi doesn't like dogs. I don't mind dogs but if Akashi doesn't like them then I won't be around them then." The crimson-eyed boy nodded in agreement with the proposal.

Before they knew it, they arrived at the park, the sky still gray and gloomy. Again they climbed out of the car. Kohaku was on Junko's shoulder this time, looking curiously at its new environment. They walked to the multiple basketball courts that were separated by tall, metal fences.

One particular court though had caught their attention. To be more specific, two people on the court had caught their attention. On the sidelines was a girl in a green dress watching intently and with a smile upon her face as she watched a boy with dark blue hair playing against adults.

Junko and Akashi were amazed as they watched from afar. They didn't need to be close to be able to see the high jumps and tricky movements nor the way his muscles flexed (due to their eyesight). It was real yet unreal. It was beyond what they could do at that moment.

Basket after basket did the boy score. He grinned as he was able to pass the adults by using his fakes and incredible speed. They watched in awe as the boy crushed his opponents with a genuine smile on his face. He enjoyed playing and he continued to play without even thinking about stopping.

"Dai-chan! We have to get going. We're really far away from home. I don't think it's safe to play basketball out of Tokyo," the pink haired girl said worriedly.

"Come on, Satsuki! Just one more basket," the blue haired boy begged. 'Satsuki' thought about it and sighed. There was no going past her dark-skinned friend.

"Fine but only one more and then we're going home."

"Alright!" The boy yelled in excitement. He began dribbling the ball with his right hand and ran towards the other side of the court. One adult tried to guard him but the blue haired boy faked left then ran right, past the man. The second adult tried to steal the ball but the boy had slightly thrown the ball over the man's head and caught it. With the ball in his possession again, he ran towards the net and jumped. A third man tried to block him but failed as the boy angled his body, almost parallel with the ground and shot the ball.

Junko's and Akashi's eyes widened. The ball swished into the net without hesitance. All eyes were on the boy who had succeeded in scoring baskets after baskets with precise accuracy.

"What do you think, Junko?" Akashi asked as he kept on analyzing the dark-skinned boy. A sly smile crept onto his lips.

Junko also smiled but it was brighter and full of joy though if you look closely enough, there was something scheming behind that innocent looking face. "Street basketball. He moves freely but all his muscles are at work so he becomes stronger and more flexible. He's already at the level of our senpai-tachi. Maybe even higher."

"We have to work really hard. I think we'll meet him again in the future. Let's go, Junko. We have to practice a lot. Watch me and see what I can improve on." Akashi began walking towards the basketball courts, excited to start practicing.

"Okay!" Junko followed Akashi with the same amount of thrill rushing through her blood.

Hiroto watched several meters back at the two kids. His spine shivered at first from the creepy smiles he learned that Junko and Akashi could produce but he smirked as they were determined to get better at basketball whether it be mentally or physically or maybe even both. As of today, he will do what he can to help them get better.

Three hours had passed after training to their hearts content and to the point where their muscles were aching. They returned home exhausted and greeted by the smell of homemade food.

"We're back Mommy!" Junko greeted her mother with a smile and a hug that was limp from exhaustion.

"How long did you play? You look pooped!" Temaki remarked at the sweaty faces and exhausted bodies.

"We played for three hours, Junko-san," Akashi answered.

"Hiroto!" Temaki began to yell.

"What? They wanted to play and get better so I helped them play and get better. Is that a crime? Plus its Saturday, let the kids have some fun."

"But to tire them out where they are almost about to collapse? Are you mad?"

"It's okay Mommy. Daddy asked us if we wanted to go home when we played for about an hour and a half but Akashi and I wanted to keep on practicing. It was fun," Junko reassured her mother that she was okay. "I was still able to walk fine after practice," she added, just to make sure the idea of her okay was solid.

After looking into the sincere crystal blue eyes for a moment, Temaki sighed. "Fine but if one day I find you all about to collapse, your death is certain by my hands… except for Akashi-kun. We'll have to see what your parents have to say to that." The three nodded in understanding. "I heard that Akashi-kun's favorite food was Tofu soup right?"

Akashi nodded, eyes at the edge of sparkling with interest. "So I made Tofu soup for lunch. It's my secret recipe." They were seated at the dining table, spoons in hand. When the bowls were set in front of them, the scent wafted to all their noses.

"It smells delicious!" Junko exclaimed.

"It really does smell good," Akashi agreed.

"Itadakimasu!" Hiroto said before he started to slurp the soup. Temaki slapped the back of his head with her hand.

"Where are your manners, Hiroto? Junko, Akashi. Do not follow how this man behaves. Honestly, to say that to my own husband. Do you know how many times I want to ignore you and pretend we aren't married?"

"Aw, that hurts, Temaki. I just wanted to lift your spirits."

"Well, you only worsened my mood." Both parents began to bicker lightly with each other.

"My parents are like this a lot," Junko explained to Akashi as they watched her parents while eating.

"It's not often that my parents argue but when they do, it's worse than this," Akashi said.

"Eh, really?" Akashi nodded in response. Junko took it as a sign not to go any farther with the conversation. They quickly finished eating and placed their dishes in the sink. They then went to the living room and Akashi took out a board game with a bag that was filled with pieces for it.

The board was set on the coffee table and the pieces were arranged.

Junko noticed the house-like shape and the writings on it. "Is this shogi?" she asked, recognizing the setup of the chess-like game after seeing her father play it with her uncle back in the states.

"It is. How much do you know about?" Akashi sat on one side of the table facing Junko who sat on the opposite side.

"I just know what it looks like but I don't know how to play," Junko admitted. Akashi nodded his head in understanding.

"I'll teach you how to play then. The big piece in the middle is the king or _ōshō._ These two next to the king are the gold generals or _kinshō. _Next to the _kinshō _are the silver generals also known as the _ginshō._ Next to the _ginshō _are the knights or the _keima._ At the corners of the board, next to the _keima_ are the _kyōsha _or the lance. The space above the left knight is the bishop also known as the _kakugyō_ and above the right knight is the rook or the _hisha. _The row above them is for all of the pawn also known as the _fuhyō._ Do you remember all of this?" Akashi asked Junko.

"Let's see… Yep, I think I got all their names down, Akashi thanks to Akashi being able to help me with my memory last year," Junko said with a smile on her face. Akashi nodded in approval.

"Then we'll start by looking at how each piece moves and the rules of the game…"

After ten minutes of learning and reviewing, Junko started with her first match at shogi. The result: Ten minutes of playing the game and a puzzled Junko.

"Hmm… I guess I'm still a little bit confused. Let's play another game, Akashi," Junko insisted as she lost to Akashi which was no surprise to her. They played five more games which lasted for four hours as Junko quickly improved. Each time she played though, she had lost.

The end result of the second match: "This is kind of hard but I think I almost got it. Another match, Akashi."

Result of the third match: "The match lasted longer! I'm definitely getting better!"

Result of the fourth match: "Eh! I lost again? Let's play another match!"

Result of the fifth match: Junko was ready to bang her head against the table. "It's so hard to defeat Akashi now…"

Result of the sixth match: "I'm tired… Do you still want to play, Akashi?"

"It's not fun playing against someone who is tired. We should take a break," the red-haired boy suggested. Junko sighed in relief.

"I'm glad to take a break."

Akashi stood up to stretch his legs. He walked around the living room taking in the position of all of the furniture of the house. He noted all the colors and the exact placement of where everything was. His crimson eyes soon fell upon a small picture frame with, of course, a picture in it.

The frame was made out of a dark wood. Carved into it was a landscape that showed a part of a tree, the grass and flowers. He traced the carvings with his index finger, noticing the smoothness of the indented curves.

The picture contained familiar and unfamiliar people. He recognized a younger version of Junko with both of her parents standing next to her. In the arms of her father though was a girl with a bob cut for her ebony hair. She was about a year younger than Junko. In her mother's arm was a bundle of pink blankets. Only a small hole was seen in the blankets revealing the face of a baby with the reddish skin of a newborn.

"Who are the two little girls besides Junko in here?" Akashi asked, still looking at the picture.

Junko's head perked up in surprise when she saw Akashi looking at the family photo. Kohaku was lying on top of Junko's head, where he climbed up to after the two were done playing shogi. He was now sleeping on her black hair as soundly as a leave does when it falls from the tree.

She was hesitant to answer but she needed to answer so that he wouldn't get suspicious. By now, she knew Akashi well enough to know his reactions if she acted a certain way.

"They are… family," Junko answered. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either.

Akashi wasn't sufficed with the vague answer but after looking at Junko, he kept quiet. Her blue eyes narrowed and a look of sadness came upon her face. Even if it was only for a second, Akashi noticed it and concluded that it was strange and unfitting for Junko to have such an expression.

Junko smiled at him her usual cheery smile and stood up carefully as Kohaku was on her head. "They live far away so I won't see them for a long time."

The conversation left at that. For the rest of the day, the two had played card games while scheming the fall of some of their classmates who had attempted to prank them for the past month until their eyes began to feel heavy and droop. They fell asleep on the couch, Junko's head resting on Akashi's shoulder and Kohaku now in his lap.

Temaki placed a light blanket over them as they slept.

Later that night, Akashi's parents came to pick up Akashi who was still sleeping. Yuudai carried his son back to the car as they bid farewell and gave their gratitude to Hiroto and Temaki. Junko was carried off into her own bed and Kohaku lied in his own red bed which was placed in her room.

Parents kissed goodnight to their child and mysteries of each other's personal lives lingered in the air, ready to be revealed on another day in the future.

* * *

_Author's Note: Finally done! This chapter was about 400 words longer than the last one. I forgot to say earlier that I'm on spring break so I might have some more time to update if I'm not doing homework. Yes, I have homework while on break._

_I didn't want to explain everything for shogi because I figured that it would be boring and too long for this chapter so I cut out the rules and uses for the game._

_On another note, calico cats are usually female. I made Kohaku a calico and a male which means he's pretty rare to have. It's because of their genes that only female are allowed to be calico. If you do have a calico male, then he is really, really, really valuable. Do you guys know how much people would pay for that cat?! Not only that but he has heterochromatic eyes! You'd be rich if you did own Kohaku and sold him… Not that I would in the story because Junko and Akashi care too much for the kitty. I also initiated Akashi's hate for disobedient dogs. I thought it had to start somewhere so why not here?_

_I also know that I said in my other story, Colors of Nature: Daisy, that I wasn't going to upload due to the new chapters of KnB coming out but I couldn't help it. I worked hard for this chapter. In the end, this will all be AU!_

_Please drop a review and tell me what you think about this chapter! Advice and criticism are also accepted and appreciated! Thank you for reading!_


	5. Chapter 4: New Goals

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket or any of its characters except for my OCs._

_Author's Note: Thanks to Chapter 205 of KnB, I have been inspired to write. It works out well when you listen to the KnB OST because all the different music is motivational and fun to listen to. All these ideas pop up in my head._

_Akashi was so sweet and gentle! I swear that he can have a soft spot for girls but still be his stern self because, well, he's Akashi. And Kuroko crying and feeling devastated made me really depressed. I can't see stand seeing Kuro-chan like that, it was too much to take in. Overall, I wanted to die of happiness and sadness._

_Well, that's it for now. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

"Good morning, Tsukiyomi-chan!" Junko greeted as she opened the door to her classroom of third grade.

"Ah, good morning Junko-chan!" Tsukiyomi returned the greeting with one of her bright smiles. "Did you finish last night's homework?"

"Of course," Junko reassured with a thumbs up. "If I did, Akashi would kill me." Tsukiyomi giggled.

"It seems that Akashi-kun really cares for you a lot."

"It is that or he's mad at me and punishes me," Junko pouted.

"But isn't it when he punishes you that you also have to run laps?" Tsukiyomi asked. Junko nodded and sighed.

"Yeah… At least I learned my lesson from back then. I don't want to go through that again. Why is it that I'm the only one who gets punished like that though?" Junko wondered. It was true; she was the only person that Akashi would assign extra homework and laps to if she didn't listen to him. Everyone else would result in getting in trouble with the teacher or getting humiliated in the public.

"That's because you are close to him, Junko-chan. At least you don't get in trouble by the teacher or get embarrassed in front of the class or the whole school." Junko thought about this. It was true but the physical activity made her feel like she was going to faint once she was finish.

The remark was left at that as the door opened again to reveal two girls of their class, holding a small pile of paper and books. One of the girls had short hair with round glasses over her hazel eyes while the other girl had shoulder-length black hair and a flower pin, pinning her bangs to the side.

They walked into the classroom and placed the stack of papers on the teacher's desk. When they walked away from the table, the girl with the glasses had stepped on a pencil that lied on the ground. It rolled under her feet, making her fall backwards.

"Ah!" The glasses girl closed her eyes, embracing herself for impact with the hard, wooden floor. Moments passed yet she did not hit the floor nor did she feel that she was still falling. Rather, she felt a hand on her back, supporting her and keeping her from falling.

"Are you okay?" asked a male voice that belonged to a student. The girl opened her eyes to meet crimson ones staring into her soul.

The girl blushed as she quickly stumbled back onto her feet and faced the boy with the crimson eyes. She bowed, allowing her hair to fall over her face to hide the blush that was rising to her cheeks.

"Thank you very much for catching me, Akashi-san," the glasses girl let out in one quick breath. She looked up, to see the face of the boy in front of her only to blush even more as he gave her a sweet, small smile.

"Be careful okay. There seems to be a lot of things on the ground these days so watch your step," Akashi warned in a gentle tone before he walked towards Junko.

"Wah, isn't Akashi-kun so cool?" one of the girls in the classroom whispered.

"I can't believe we were scared of him when we were younger," another girl whispered back. All the girls were goggling their eyes out as they watched Akashi walk in confident, elegant steps.

"Pft." Junko stifled back a laugh as she watched the repetitive scene. "This is like in a bunch of animes that I've been watching. This is the third grade! I thought this stuff happened in middle school. This is the fifth time this week that this happened."

"Why are you laughing, Junko-chan? Akashi was only being nice," Tsukiyomi reprimanded.

"Exactly! It's funny seeing Akashi being really nice. He might act like prince charming to girls and teachers but deep inside, he's the devil," Junko retorted.

"And because you know that, that's why I always treat you the way I do," Akashi commented as he walked towards Junko and Tsukiyomi.

"See, Tsukiyomi-chan? Akashi evens admits it," Junko pointed out. Tsukiyomi sighed. What was she to do with her carefree friend who wasn't afraid to speak her mind out or laugh at the all-knowing-and-scary Akashi? "Not only that but I think everyone acts the way they do to Akashi because they want to ignore his scary side."

Ignoring Junko's comment about him, Akashi changed the subject to what he and Junko thought was more interesting and important. "Junko, did you find out who that boy was last year?"

Junko's blue irises widened in realization as she forgot about the topic since this morning. She turned to Akashi with an excited expression upon her face. "I did!" she began. Junko remembered last year when Akashi was at her house because his babysitter was on vacation and his parents had a meeting to go to and it was the day they went shopping for her cat, Kohaku, with her father. Afterwards they went to the park to play basketball but on their way to the courts, they saw a dark-skinned boy around their age with dark blue hair playing basketball against adults and were able to defeat all of them along with a pink hair girl with fair skin.

"I finally found the website that has his picture and it had his name on their too. His name is Aomine Daiki and he is in the same grade as us. The girl that was with him on that day too is Momoi Satsuki. She is his childhood friend and she is also in the same grade as us." Junko recited the information as if she were a computer herself.

"Who are you guys talking about?" Tsukiyomi questioned.

"No one important," Akashi and Junko answered simultaneously. The girl could only sigh in defeat. Her two friends always had something mysterious going on between them and usually it had something to do with basketball. Tsukiyomi was nowhere near interested in the sport but she dealt with it because Akashi and Junko were obsessed about it as well as with shogi or at least as far as she could tell.

"Ah, that's right. I'm going to start archery lessons this weekend," Junko stated. "It took two years but I've finally let my parents pay for them."

"That's great Junko-chan. Ah, Fujisaki-sensei is coming." Tsukiyomi saw the shadow behind the door as she recognized as the class' homeroom teacher. She opened the door only to stay where she was as a chalk board eraser fell on her head.

The particles of powdered dust that was stuck onto the eraser exploded into a cloud of dust as it impacted with Fujisaki's head. A deadly silence struck the air as the murky white cloud spun in the air and dispersing throughout the classroom.

Junko and Akashi sighed as they seated themselves in their seats awaiting the half hour lecture that always followed the pranks on their teacher. They could see a tick mark form on Fujisaki's face but she, surprisingly, kept her composure as she took the eraser off of her head and patted the chalk dust off of her hair and clothing.

She then walked to the front of the class in her blue sweater and white, flowing skirt. Fujisaki then coughed to make sure she had gained the attention of the students in the room.

"I shall deal with this situation later. As of now, I would like to introduce a new student," Fujisaki announced. She turned her head toward the door and a boy with light brown hair walked into the room.

Junko heard the girls squeal and swoon over the new student with flashing hazel eyes and a bright smile. His hair was neatly combed and was parted slightly to the right. The blue-eyed girl then turned her gaze to Tsukiyomi who she found had a glint of interest but it was nothing compared to the longing in her eyes when she talks to Akashi.

Yes, Junko noticed her friend's crush on Akashi and she found it amusing to see Tsukiyomi stutter out of embarrassment or act awkwardly around the crimson-eyed boy. She had acted innocently as she teased Tsukiyomi about why she was acting strange when she mentioned Akashi's name or when she calls for him to talk. It was quite a sight to see the popular and usually composed Tsukiyomi to lose her confidence around the red hair boy.

Of course the teasing was very discrete and it wasn't too much to hurt her friend's feelings but Junko liked messing with people because it was fun. She knew her limits and the limits of others so everything worked well for her overall.

Back to the new student, he bowed as he introduced himself. "My name is Kisaragi (last) Ryousuke (first). I like to play soccer and smile to all the pretty girls that I know," Kisaragi introduced himself with a charming smile and velvety voice.

Junko thought she saw some of the girls almost fainting or almost having a heart attack. She was ready to burst out laughing at any minute but kept to herself with complete control. She also noticed the scowls on some of the boys' faces because another pretty boy had become a part of their class. Akashi already stole the hearts of some of the girls with his cool demeanor but to have a playboy take the hearts of the rest of the girls (save Junko and Tsukiyomi) was just plain cruel.

'Is this really the third grade?' Junko thought to herself as she watched the boy with the smile that never diminished.

She then turned her attention to Akashi who stared at the boy with a blank face. If Junko was right when about Akashi's feelings, she would think that he was relieved that the girls would no longer crowd around him after class to try and gain his attention, hypothetically saying that Kisaragi had ultimately caught the girls' attention and made them forget that there were other boys in the classroom.

"You shall sit behind Junko-chan, Kisaragi-kun. Please stand Junko-chan so that he can find his seat." Junko stood up, her crystal blue irises met with hazel ones.

Kisaragi felt his heart skipped a beat as he saw the beautiful blue orbs upon the petite girl's face. She kept a straight and stern face that showed no interest in him. Upon seeing the cold gaze, Kisaragi determined to flutter the blue-eyed girl's heart like he would always do with those who he thought played hard-to-get.

He walked towards Junko with a confident smile plastered on his face. He then bowed to her and held her left hand.

"I am Kisaragi Ryousuke. Nice to meet you," he greeted. He was about to kiss Junko's hand like he had seen in Western movies but before he could make a move, Junko slid her hand away from his grasp.

"Same here," Junko returned, her face still unresponsive to the other boy's actions.

"Where has a pretty girl like you've been all my life?" Kisaragi asked, trying to hit on Junko. Eyes flared in the background as stares tried to burn holes into Junko's body.

"Away from you," Junko retorted with a smirk forming on her face. Akashi chuckled at his friend's response while Tsukiyomi sighed. The rest of the class and Kisaragi stared at her in shock.

Fujisaki sighed. 'Children are growing up to fast these days. How does a child know how to hit on a girl?' she thought. "Let's stop this nonsense and begin class," Fujisaki said to her students.

Junko sat back down, ignoring the shocked expression on Kisaragi's face. Several seconds passed before Kisaragi sat himself down in defeat. No one had turned him down before. No one.

Fujisaki began the day with arithmetic and asked the students to take their textbooks out. Groans were heard throughout the room but the students listened anyway.

Kisaragi was set on making Junko swoon for him one day. He would not let his pride down after one measly rejection.

Lunch came and girls swarmed over to the middle of the classroom where Kisaragi sat along with Junko, Akashi, and Tsukiyomi.

Not only did the females populated around the new student's desk but also around Akashi's though there was a considerably lesser amount of people around him. Even so, Akashi couldn't help but feel a bit irritated at the situation. He had a nagging feeling that there would still be some girls coming to him time from time but he didn't think he would attract the amount he had now.

Over and over he heard his name being called out by different feminine voices. Akashi this and Akashi that. This was starting to get on his nerves.

"Ano, Akashi…" Junko said, trying to get his attention because she began to see the ominous aura oozing out of the red head's body.

"Junko," Akashi called her name. The girls around him became silent.

"Yes, Akashi?" she asked nervously.

"Call me Seijuurou from now on. That way I know that it's you who is calling me in the future," the red hair boy ordered.

"Eh?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Akashi asked threateningly.

"N-no, Aka- Seijuurou." His name rolled off her tongue with an unexpected smoothness. "Seijuurou," Junko whispered to herself this time. She smiled to herself as she produced the sound of his name in a nostalgic fashioned.

"Ne, Seijuurou, since I can call you by your first name, you can call me by my name," Junko offered. Akashi nodded in understanding.

"Fine then. Kasumi, we should go before the practice match starts for the senpai-tachi. I don't want to miss watching them." Junko smiled when Akashi said her name naturally.

"Let's go then. Do you want to come with us, Tsukiyomi-chan?" Junko asked as she got up from her seat.

Tsukiyomi shook her head. "You guys go. I still don't understand it so it's better for me not to go," she answered.

"Okay then. I'll see you later Tsukiyomi-chan." Junko walked towards the door while Akashi stared through the girls that surrounded him as the made a path for him to easily walk to where Junko is. They left the classroom in a "servant and master" fashion as Junko opened the door and Akashi walked out of the classroom, followed by the blue-eye girl who had also shut the door behind her.

They left the classroom, leaving everyone in awe.

"Wah, even though I want to get closer to Akashi-kun, it's really hard because Junko has always been around him. It's like Akashi-kun is the boss and Junko-chan is the worker except Junko-chan seems happy being with Akashi-kun."

"Yeah but they feel more like royalty. Akashi-kun acts like a king and Junko-chan is like a servant."

"Akashi-kun and Junko-chan are really cool though. Akashi-kun is really nice if you don't bother him and his smiles and eyes are so cool."

"Junko-chan is always cheerful too. You can't hate Junko-chan because she is really happy and she helps us out with classwork."

"And they're both really smart. They can even play shogi. Usually shogi is played by adults, right? It's a hard game to play."

"They both like to play basketball too and they are really good at it."

Gossip began as the children began to talk amongst themselves. Tsukiyomi smiled at the praises her friends were getting. She remembered when they used to be ridiculed because they decided not to be in the norm with the rest of the class.

"Tsukiyomi-chan is friends with Junko-chan and Akashi-kun, right?" One of their classmates asked.

"I am," Tsukiyomi answered. She was curious where this conversation was going.

"Why do they usually hand out with each other? Are they like boyfriend and girlfriend?" another student asked.

Tsukiyomi let out a small, jingling laugh that made the hearts of some of the boys in the room speed up. She couldn't imagine her friend going out with Akashi. Their interactions with each other was serious as if they were business people but occasionally they would tease each other and see who would get mad first. In other words they can be quite playful but most of the times they tend to stay in the "servant and master" situation.

"No, they aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. Junko-chan became friends with Akashi-kun when we were all in the first grade, remember? Junko-chan says that she wanted to be friends with Akashi-kun because he was lonely and she didn't want him to be lonely and because they both like basketball."

Kisaragi listened intently to the gossip and story of Junko's and Akashi's past. He had concluded that they were interesting people. He had also noticed Junko's smile at Akashi as he called her by her first name. Kisaragi couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy that someone less charming than him could make the girl smile so genuinely.

Junko looked sweet and elated being around Akashi at that moment and Kisaragi was burning with passion. No one was going to beat him when it came to charming a girl's heart.

On the way to the basketball gym, Akashi and Junko were discussing about the new addition to the class. As a result, they concluded that they didn't really like him.

"Kisaragi attracts a lot of attention like a flower attracts a bee," Akashi compared.

"I agree. He also likes to gets girls' attention. It's kind of gross," Junko added.

"Gross?" Akashi asked, curious about what Junko meant.

"Yeah, gross. He likes to mess with girls' hearts. He makes them fall in love with him and then if he doesn't like them later, he just tosses them out like trash. That's what I think he would do," she explained. "Do you think he would do that, Aka – Seijuurou?"

Akashi gave a small smile at Junko as he saw her having trouble saying his given name. He expected it because they had always used each other's last names for the past two and a half years. He also knew that Junko would get used to it and it would soon be natural for her to say his name.

"It is possible. I don't think he would just do that. It would be more like he likes to make them… happy to be around them but that's it. He wouldn't mess with them like that."

"I guess… Is Seijuurou tired of being called by his last name today?" Junko asked, changing subjects.

"Today, yes. It was getting annoying plus they were loud. If they called my name any louder, I might not be able to here you, Kasumi if you needed me for something. If you even called my last name, I might mistake it for another girl trying to call my name," Akashi answered.

Junko giggled at the explanation. It was definitely possible with the amount of attention Akashi had also attracted lately.

The gym came into view and Akashi and Junko saw students of another school's team walk into the gym. They began to fasten their pace towards the large white building under the bright sun with its rays of light intensifying the colors reflected off of every object visible.

They opened the double doors to the gym and saw throngs of upperclassmen buzzing around the court, walking up the stairs to get seated and watch the practice match.

"It's really busy," Junko commented as she and Akashi pushed through the noticeably taller people.

"We should hurry if we want to watch." Akashi grabbed onto Junko's wrist and dragged her up the stairs, following the flow of the crowd, easily navigating to the seats. Once in a clearing among the stadium, two familiar voices called to them.

"Oh, it's Jun-chan and Akashi!" The two third graders turned their heads to their right to see Hitori and Tsuchiura, the ex-basketball players for Shukun Gakuen. They had graduated last year from the elementary school and are now in their first year of middle school, leaving the basketball team into the hands who they thought were capable of leading the team or at least the most dependable.

"Hitori-senpai! Tsuchiura-senpai! What are you doing here? You both graduated last year," Junko asked. She ran up to them with Akashi slightly lagging behind her, feeling no rush to greet their senpai-tachi.

"It's nice to see you again," Akashi greeted with a slight nod and a stoic face.

Hitori grinned widely at his kohai and ruffled both of their hair. An irritated expression formed on both faces but said nothing even though they knew that Hitori knew that they didn't like their hair being ruffled.

"It's great to see the both of you again! We wanted to see the practice match today since it's a day off at our school. Can't we watch our grade school play basketball?"

"Be nice to them, Hitori. The both of you came to watch the game too, right?" Tsuchiura asked.

"Yep!" Junko said cheerfully as she loosened the grip of the hand that held her head. "Seijuurou and I thought we could watch a bit for lunch break."

"That's correct," Akashi supported. Hitori and Tsuchiura stared at the two for a few long seconds.

"Seijuurou?" the middle school students finally asked simultaneously. Ideas began to pop up in their head as they realized that was Akashi's given name that Junko had called him by. It was strange because for the past few years that they knew the two, they had always called each other by their last name.

"Ah, that's right. Seijuurou won't let me call him Akashi anymore because he became popular with the girls and they keep on trying to get his attention and say 'Akashi-kun' over and over. Seijuurou doesn't like it if I called him for anything using that name; he wouldn't be able to recognize it by all the 'Akashi-kun' being said so I call him Seijuurou now. In return, I let him call me by my first name," Junko explained.

"So it's not a romantic reason or even a friendship reason that you guys call each other by your given names," Hitori deadpanned.

"What are you talking about?" Junko asked, genuinely not understanding what he meant. Tsuchiura chuckled and patted Junko's head.

"Don't worry about it Jun-chan. You'll understand when you grow older," Tsuchiura reassured the blue-eyed girl.

Junko pouted at the answer. "You always say that, Tsuchiura-senpai."

"I do, don't I? Well, let's get some seats before they're taken," the ex-captain suggested. The other three nodded as they found seats in the front row and sat down.

"Oh, isn't it Junko-chan and Akashi-kun," an older, feminine voice pointed out. Junko and Akashi looked up to see their teacher, Fujisaki there. "Are you two watching the basketball game?"

Akashi nodded and answered this time. "We are, Fujisaki-sensei. It will be until the end of lunch," he explained. Fujisaki stood there thinking for a moment and looked up at the ceiling.

"Actually, I don't mind if you two are here for the whole game. All we're doing this afternoon is review and the both of you have already gotten all the multiplication facts down by heart from your zeros to twelve's."

"Really, Fujisaki=sensei?" Junko asked in surprise. Fujisaki smiled at the girl.

"Of course. The both of you are ahead of everyone else by a lesson or two and that's all we're doing for the rest of the afternoon so it's fine. Enjoy the game okay?" Fujisaki told them.

Junko and Akashi turned their heads towards each other and a smile crept onto their faces. They were going to enjoy that afternoon.

"We will," Akashi and Junko said in sync. Fujisaki left with a smile of her own on her face. Hitori beamed at the idea that his and Tsuchiura's 'pupils' would actually experience an actual basketball game with them. Tsuchiura on the other hand was staring at the court and the players warming up but smiled to himself nonetheless.

The sound of a whistle being blown was heard throughout the gym. It had caught the attention of every single person in the room.

"The game between Shukun Gakuen and Seiyou Gakuen will now commence!" the referee shouted. "Please have a fair match!" With that the players of both teams readied themselves on the court.

"Tip Off!" was heard and the centers jumped high to fight for the ball that was thrown up into the air. Seiyou got the ball first and one of the players began dribbling down the court at a fast speed.

A burly player from Shukun was quick and began to guard the player with the ball. He kept their bodies close together, making it difficult to move for the Seiyou player. Seeing an opening, he passed the ball to one of his teammates, a taller and slightly more muscular one, who caught it and had passed two players than doing a layup. The crowd cheered but stern faces were seen on the two middle school students and the two third graders.

"What are they doing?" Hitori mumbled as he watched them diligently.

"Shukun's style of playing basketball is usually taking it slow at first and analyzing our opponents' moves before actually attacking. These guys are rushing through everything and not taking their time to even observe their opponents," Tsuchiura began summarizing what the team was doing.

"That's what you get for getting a new coach this year. He has no idea what he's doing nor does he understand what our style is. Why is the team even listening to his way of doing things?" Hitori reprimanded.

Akashi furrowed his eyebrows as he continued watching. "The speed is too fast for the beginning of a game. Number 4 is nervous and he doesn't know what to do. Seiyou's number 12 will pass to their number 17 then he will jump and pass the ball to number 8 who will shoot a three-pointer," Akashi predicted. Junko nodded her head as she saw what everything what Akashi said happen.

"Seiyou's number 12 is strong but he is really stiff and their number 17 and number 8 aren't very experienced. They are only good at the basics but they can't really do anything else. Shukun can do better if they went with the old plans," Junko also observed, "though Shukun's number 7 and number 19 should train more on their stamina. They are already sweating a lot."

Hitori whistled with the third grader's skills. If anyone else heard them, they wouldn't think this was the mind of a third grader at all. For Hitori and Tsuchiura though, it was quite normal for them to hear these terms because they taught it to them and the observations came from the magnificent eyesight the two possessed.

"Jun-chan and Akashi got better while we were away," Hitori commented, eyes still fixed on the game ahead of them. Even though he acted calm, he was still amazed at Akashi's ability to predict what the players would do next while Junko could see their every movement and flaw.

Not only that but Junko was also an awesome spy as she gathered information on future opposing teams for Shukun during their last year at the school. How she gathered all those facts were a mystery and it was better left unknown though half of what Junko gave them she barely understood. All she knew was that big words meant that they were important.

As the first quarter came to an end, the current captain of Shukun began yelling at the coach that this isn't how they played.

Even Junko and Akashi understood that Shukun focused on mentally toying around with the other team to keep them hot blooded to the point that they wouldn't think properly and then they would win their way around the reckless aggressiveness of the opposing team. Why wouldn't they know after playing with the basketball team during lunch for the past two years?

The coach began yelling back but the captain scoffed and began to order the rest of the team what they had to do. They nodded in understanding and positioned themselves on the court.

The second quarter began and a much slower pace took place with Shukun Gakuen carefully planning out their course of action as they dribbled back and forth, passing and analyzing, jogging and weaving in and out of Seiyou's players like water easily maneuvering itself through the tiniest crack in the worn out sidewalk.

"That's much better," Hitori commented as he finally recognized the team play as well as the individual skills on the court. Gradually the speed of the game increased turning the tables around and giving Shukun the advantage.

Their now sudden movements confused and flustered the opposing team's members for they were still adjusted to the slow pace at the beginning of the second quarter. Basket after basket, the Shukun team scored points to now where they were ahead by at least five points.

Junko's shoulders relaxed from all the tension she felt as she watched the game as Shukun made sure to stay ahead in the game.

The coach's expression was in awe and embarrassment as he saw the team perfectly execute their plays with barely a mistake to be seen.

Akashi continued to watch calmly and said no word as the game continued.

Eventually the game ended with Shukun winning, 63-58. Cheers broke out amongst the crowd causing the winning team below to smile and also cheer for themselves. Seiyou looked tired and disappointed but at one point they expressed a small smile, promising that they wouldn't lose next time.

Both teams lined up and faced each other. They then bowed and said, "Thank you for the match!" People began to disperse, exiting the gym from the many doorways that led to the outside world. Junko, Akashi, and the two middle school students waited for the crowd to thin out before leaving as well.

"That went out pretty well," Tsuchiura stated as he walked next to Hitori as they exited the gym. Junko and Akashi were ahead of them, talking amongst themselves about the game and what they liked and disliked about it.

"It's good that he took charge of the team. We can't break traditions now, can we? I mean, once Akashi and Jun-chan are able to play, they'll be so accustomed to this style of playing that they won't need a coach to teach them any of this stuff," Hitori added.

Tsuchiura slapped the back of Hitori's head causing him to yelp in pain.

"What was that for, Tsuchiura?!" He held the back of his head endearingly; ready to prevent any other slaps that might come his way.

"Everyone needs a coach idiot. Even if the captain of the team is the one who truly controls the training regimen and the such, a coach is there and seen as the main leader. He has to inspect and ensure that everything is going smoothly whether it be during practice or on court."

"I know that! I was just joking. You didn't have to be so harsh," Hitori whined. Junko and Akashi saw a bickering coming up but it was normal and they had, to an extent, missed the two though they wouldn't admit it since it was awkward to act all mushy and overly caring for their upperclassmen.

Now outside in the blinding sunlight, the four stopped under cool shade of a large tree on the school campus.

There was still some time before school ended so Akashi and Junko were considering going back to class. Well, they considered it if their upperclassmen didn't ask them a certain question that began to make their heart pound in silent anticipation.

"Do you guys want to play some basketball with us?" Tsuchiura had asked, taking a basketball from out of a bag he had with him. "I doubt the team will be using the courts after playing the game and it's been a while since we've came here. I'd like to stay a bit longer," he admitted as his gaze turned towards the basketball courts.

"We can play two vs. two! Junko, want to be on my team?" Hitori asked as he ruffled the girl's head. She pouted as her hair was being messed up again but then smiled at being offered to play basketball.

"Sure!" she answered

"Are you ready to defeat them again, Akashi?" Tsuchiura turned his head to face the crimson eyed boy. Akashi smirked and folded his arms in response.

"Of course. I always win," Akashi claimed. His eyes met with Junko's and a hidden fire was ignited behind their brightly colored irises.

Tsuchiura, Hitori, and Akashi were on the court stretching while waiting for Junko to go and grab her sweatpants that she wore for gym. She returned after several minutes in pink sweatpants which she detested because of the color otherwise she was quite comfortable wearing it.

"Ready?" Hitori asked the petite girl as she posed herself in a position ready to run at any moment.

Junko nodded with a wide grin on her face. They were given the ball first and Junko dribbled the ball down the court with Akashi tailing her.

The crimson eye boy caught up to her and began guarding her. She tried to move to her left and fake to her right but Akashi kept a tight guard, making it difficult for her to run.

Quickly eyeing the court, she found an opening and passed to Hitori. He caught the ball and dribbled the ball while jogging. Tsuchiura attempted to steal but Hitori had changed the dribbling from his right hand to his left hand making the other preteen miss the chance to take back the ball.

As the ball switched hands, however, Akashi had stolen the ball and ran back down the other side of the court. Junko was already under the net when Tsuchiura had tried to steal the ball from Hitori. Now she attempted to guard Akashi but he was able to pass her and shoot the ball, gaining his team the first basket.

Sweat was already dripping from her face as they played under the blazing sun. Her eyes narrowed and she regretted not working on her guarding as much as she did with anything else.

They continued playing, losing track of time until a group of tall males approached them.

"Hitori-senpai and Tsuchiura-senpai? What are you doing here? Who are these little kids as well?" asked one of the boys from the group.

Four pairs of eyes from the court turned their attention to the group who was surprised to see the ex-teammates playing on the outside court.

"Hito-senpai and Tsuchi-senpai came to watch out practice match right?" the boy, who Akashi and Junko recognized as the captain of the Shukun Gakuen basketball team captain. "Ah, and those two are Akashi and Junko. The past two years the two of them have been with us practicing on this court during lunch break. Usually we wouldn't let little kids play with us but these two are pretty talented. Now that I think about it, don't you two have class?"

"Fujisaki-sensei said that we were only reviewing today and it was okay for Seijuurou and I to watch Shukun's game. Hitori-senpai and Tsuchiura-senpai asked us to play with them after the match," Junko explained.

"Calling each other on a first name basis now?" the current captain asked teasingly.

"The reason they call each other by their first names is not because of any romance, Takeshi," Hitori said with a sigh. "We already asked about it."

"Seriously? These two are so close to each other though," another player pointed out.

"We agree but…"

The team and the ex-members began chatting leisurely forgetting Akashi and Junko. The third graders stood at the side staring at the conversing preteens like when they do when their fathers were talking together after school. It was a similar scene for others to chat while they are forgotten.

Junko chuckled and Akashi sighed as they imagined of their fathers talking about things they couldn't understand yet.

They looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement as they finally decided to go back to class. Akashi and Junko walked up to the upperclassmen and stood there waiting for their presence to be noticed.

Tsuchiura was the first to notice and looked at the two. "What's wrong?" he asked them.

Akashi bowed to him, Junko shortly following after. "We should get going to class. Fujisaki-sensei would get worried if we do not return," the crimson eye boy explained.

"Ah, sorry for distracting you two," Hitori apologized. He rubbed the back of his head and gave grinned apologetically.

"It's okay Hitori-senpai. You should visit again soon," Junko suggested.

"We will," Tsuchiura and Hitori said simultaneously. They waved goodbye as did the third graders.

"Yay! School's almost over!" Junko stretched her arms and embraced the warmth of the sun shining on her face. There was silence. Junko opened her eyes and turned her head toward Akashi who would usually retort her excited claims.

His eyes were hidden by his bangs, darkening his face. The atmosphere became heavy and dense. Junko kept quiet at the awkwardness, not wanting to get in trouble for saying something out of turn. She was about to open the doors to the school however, she noticed that Akashi was behind her and did not move into the building.

Her blue eyes narrowed, easily sensing that something was wrong. She knew beating around the bush would only irritate Akashi more and put him in a menacing mood so she had to get straight to the point.

"Does Seijuurou no want to go home?" she finally asked after pondering how to form the question. There was still no answer.

Junko noticed it but was acting dumb for the past few months. Her father and Akashi's father had been speaking less to each other and usually stood in silence. Ever since the change occurred, Akashi's mood had darkened drastically though he kept his composure and cool demeanor which would always be presented to the class as if nothing was wrong with his life.

"Is it because of Seijuurou's father?" Akashi flinched at the question.

It was barely visible but Junko had also seen a gap between Akashi and his father that wasn't there before. It was as if they were mere acquaintances rather than father and son.

"Seijuurou, you can't solve your problems if you don't tell them to me. I promised that I would watch over Seijuurou and so I have to help you with your problems." Akashi slowly lifted his face. There was hurt and something dark behind the crimson eyes.

There was no escaping Junko's forever-observing eyes. She knew what others were thinking and feeling based on interactions and movements in a blink of an eye. Even Akashi had no way of hiding things from her. Junko only acted as if she never knew because it was better that way.

A small smile crept onto her face as she walked towards Akashi and held his hands.

"What do you need, Akashi Seijuurou?"

Akashi smirked. "You'll always listen to me correct?" Junko nodded as a response. "Then let's get stronger. I won't have otou-san control my life. I'll show otou-san that I can take care of myself."

"Yes, your majesty," Junko said mockingly though she had bowed before him like a butler would do to his master. She then took one of his hands and brought it to her lips. "Anything for you, Seijuurou."

* * *

"You guys took so long! I felt lonely," Tsukiyomi whined.

Junko laughed nervously. "Sorry, Tsukiyomi-chan. We were watching the basketball game."

"Just because you think you're better than us doesn't mean that you can skip class," Kisaragi huffed. He glared at the two as they took their seats.

"It was just for today. Don't complain," Akashi said. Kisaragi's glare now only focused on the bright red head but the latter was unfazed by it. Actually, it seemed like he didn't notice it.

There were only several minutes left to class and the students began to stir restlessly, itching to get out of the school.

A minute before the bell rang, Akashi turned his head to Junko. She noticed and looked back at him.

"Kasumi, do you mind doing something for me?"

"What is it Seijuurou?" Junko cocked her head to the side and smiled sweetly at him. Tsukiyomi couldn't help but shiver at the suspiciously sweet smile.

"Put Kisaragi in his place. He should know not to glare. It's rude."

"I will, Seijuurou." The bell rang across the school campus and the students rushed out of their classrooms to go home.

The next day, Kisaragi came to school as a nervous wreck. He kept muttering to himself about how he hated fish and koi in particular. Junko stared at the koi pond at the school and smiled to herself knowingly.

* * *

_Author's Note: What did I just write? Why do I initially think of Black Butler when I think of creepily loyal servants after rereading this?_

_Not much to say so that's it. Please drop a review and any thoughts you have! Thank you very much for reading as well!_


	6. Chapter 5: Winter Has Come

_Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basket or any of its characters except for my OCs._

_Author's Note: This week, I am in the mood for writing a lot. Maybe it's because of all of the amazing stories that I have been reading recently. *shrugs* Hmm, as a notice from here on out, there will be at least two chapters minimum for each grade because the plot will have to thicken a little more and I need to fit in information as well as work with relationships and introductions of characters, both OC and canon. _

_I would also like to thank the many readers who have been reading as well as the reviewers. I apologize to those that are guest reviewers because I am not able to respond to their review._

_Again, thank you for reading __Hold Me Close__!_

* * *

The sound of a loud ring echoed inside the room and a fuzzy substance rubbing against her face caused Junko to wake up sleepily. She groaned as she shifted in her bed in response to the alarm on her clock. Her hand fumbled around her nightstand in search for her alarm clock to turn it off.

A soft click was heard and the ringing stopped. Finally, Junko sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes and blankly stared at the feline creature next to her. Its tail swayed from one side to the next, intently watching his owner as she woke up.

"Good morning, Kohaku," she greeted her cat that had rubbed his soft fur against her skin. He purred and jumped off her bed, exiting her room and silently made his way downstairs.

Once she gathered her thoughts, she reached her hand out to a small oval-shaped case that sat on her nightstand and opened it.

Using her thumb and index finger, she grabbed the frame of her glasses and opened it. She put her glasses on and gave a final yawn.

"I can't wait to get contacts. These glasses annoy me a lot," Junko complained as she got out of her light blue bed and got ready for school.

After lazily prepping herself for another day of the fourth grade, Junko had prepared a simple breakfast of rice and an egg. She added soy sauce to the bowl before clapping her hands together.

"Itadakimasu." Junko began eating using the new chopsticks her mother bought the other day because they were beautifully designed with paintings of miniature flowers and they were on clearance.

Junko placed her bowl and chopsticks in the sink and began washing them after silently eating alone that morning. She then prepared Kohaku's breakfast by grabbing a can of wet cat food and dry cat food. She mixed the ingredients together in the blue feeding bowl decorated with pictures of fish. She set it on the floor beside the silver bowl of water and watched the calico devour its food for several minutes.

Her parents had left earlier to go to work. Recently, they had been busied with many assignments from the company they worked at and so it resulted them from working early in the morning to late at night, leaving Junko to walk to and from school by herself rather than being driven like she had used to.

The black hair girl grabbed her bag and checked to make sure she had everything she needed. After confirming that all her schoolwork and homework were completed, she headed out of her house, locking the door behind her.

She checked the phone that her parents had bought her recently to check the time, making sure she wasn't late. It was only 6 o'clock. There was more than enough time for her to arrive to school.

The phone was given to her so that her parents could call or text her to see how their daughter was doing since they could no longer take her to and from the school. Other than that, Junko never really used it much. She kept the fact that she had a phone a secret from her friends except for Akashi, because she didn't want them to bombard her with useless texts of gossip or unneeded information. Akashi was the only person she could trust to tell that she had a phone.

For one, just in case he needed her to do something, he could always call her and she would get it done immediately if possible. There was that and she would call him if she needed help with something and she knew that he would always have an answer for her.

The air was frigid and Junko shivered as a cold breeze slowly blew past her. She opened her bag while walking, taking out a dark blue scarf and wrapped it around her neck. Her glasses began to fog from the condensing air so she took them off and rubbed the lens with her jacket.

She sighed, feeling that her effort was worthless as she knew that her glasses would fog again. If her eyesight didn't begin to blur slightly, she wouldn't have to wear what she considered irritating glasses. Not only were they a bother to take care of but it had enhanced her eyesight tenfold then when she used to see normally before her eyes began to blur.

Junko was able to see the slightest muscle movement, making her eyesight very sensitive and for almost every movement she saw, she would flinch. It had been a few weeks though from when she flinched uncontrollably at everything she saw move but over time, she was getting used to it as well as able to control her reflexes.

Sometimes, she felt that she saw too much that she was always nervous and on the edge recently.

Twenty minutes passed before she arrived at Shukun Gakuen. She entered the gates along with many other students who were also bundled in coats, hats and scarves. The trees that were lined up at the sides of the main walkway were bare of any leaves or flowers because of the unexpected cold weather.

Halfway to the school building, she heard the sound of an engine running as well as wheels rolling up to the front of the school gate. She turned her body halfway to see a dark, slick car pull up to the front of the gate.

The driver's door opened revealing a man in a suit who walked out and opened the passenger door. A small boy with blazing red hair stepped out of the car wearing the same uniform as all the other students of Shukun Gakuen wore.

After unheard words were spoken between the boy and the driver, the driver slid himself back into the car and drove away. Once the car was out of sight, the red hair boy began to walk down the path towards the school yet at the same time, meeting the eyes of sapphire color with his ruby ones.

"Good morning, Seijuurou," Junko greeted as the boy approached her.

"Is it really a good morning in this kind of weather, Kasumi?" Akashi asked, noticing the tip of her ears and nose becoming red.

"Not really but it doesn't hurt to use the usual greeting." Junko began walking with Akashi inside the school.

"You didn't have to wait for me. Isn't it cold?"

"Of course it is but since Seijuurou came while I was still on the pathway, I might as well walk in with you," Junko explained. She then readjusted her glasses as it began to slide down the bridge of her nose; another reason why she disliked wearing glasses.

Akashi noticed Junko's disgruntled look as she readjusted her glasses. He said nothing. All he did was observe her as if she was an exotic creature that had just been discovered.

It was definitely different with the change in her look but what had astonished him was her miraculously improved eyesight once she wore the tools used to see things clearly. Then again, the glasses were specially made for her eyes in particular.

Junko looked up at the sky covered with clouds. Her cerulean eyes looked at the large floating cotton balls hanging over the school wistfully. She remembered her days back in America where this kind of weather was impossible under the blazing sun. Even if it became cooler in the winter, it would only drop to a temperature that was like spring here in Japan.

She remembered playing in the park with her younger sister and father under the spring-like sky that winter before she moved.

_If only Sumomi and Nadeshiko were here right now, they would really like this weather, _Junko thought.

Akashi noticed Junko's glazed eyes as she looked up at the sky. There were times like these where Junko was not her usual carefree self and that she would look lost in thought as she stared at a particular object. He had yet to figure out what Junko was thinking about.

He also knew that she was hiding something from him. Akashi figured that it was something private but he was curious and he despised being hidden in the dark. Luckily for Junko (even if she didn't know it), Akashi was willing to take his time to put the pieces of the puzzle together and to decode what hidden secret was lying deep within her heart.

"Is something wrong, Kasumi?" Akashi queried, hoping to get at least a hint of an answer he was looking for.

His voice surprised Junko but he somewhat expected this question to come from Akashi sooner or later. She had noticed herself that she would stare off into space or bore her eyes at an object that had reminded her of her sisters.

"I'm just thinking about my family," Junko answered vaguely. She hoped it was enough to suffice Akashi because it was known for him to want a detailed answer rather than something vague.

"Is that so?" Junko became slightly nervous when Akashi had asked that question.

She faked a smile to camouflage her discomfort and answered. "Of course, Seijuurou. I haven't lied to you before. Why would I lie now?" Junko thought about her reply. It was true that she had told the truth but it wasn't the whole truth either.

"I guess you have a point. Well, I'll see you later Kasumi. My class is this way," Akashi pointed out. Junko had finally realized that they were inside the school.

"I know your class is that way, Seijuurou. It has already been half a year since we've been in school. Why are you saying it now?" Akashi shrugged in response. Junko sighed, mentally noting that she would have a hard time understanding the red head sometimes.

"I'll see you later Akashi." Junko dropped the subject and headed toward her classroom.

The latter stared at her back, wondering what was wrong. He reluctantly also headed towards his homeroom, worried that something was wrong.

As he entered his classroom, he was almost ran over by Kisaragi who planned on charging into the red head and prove that he could put his guard down, even if it resulted in his own death. Note: almost ran over.

Kisaragi tripped and fell on his face as Akashi stepped to the side, dodging the blonde. Akashi sighed. He was not in the mood to deal with any idiocrasies that particular morning. He continued to ignore the blonde and sat in his seat.

Akashi then proceeded into looking out the window of light gray clouds that blanketed the sky.

Kisaragi noticed the darkening aura around the red head. It wasn't like Akashi to be depressed without a reason nor was it normal for him to stare at the sky in thought.

Feeling that today was going to be another useless attempt to not get anywhere with the red head, Kisaragi decided to let him off today but to discover what was wrong with him. If anything, he had a nagging feeling that Junko was somehow involved.

A male teacher entered the classroom in the epitome outfit of a suit and tie. The class then repeated the morning routine of greeting the teacher and bowing to him/her then seating back down to listen to the daily announcements.

Akashi tuned out the rest of what the teacher had to say when he had mentioned something about tomorrow's field trip. There was no way he would be able to pay attention today. He would be quiet and pretend to listen and look serious while in reality, his head was jumbled with thoughts.

Meanwhile, Junko also blankly stared out into the sea of clouds. Her eyes were still yet narrowed and glazed, giving off a mystic feeling or so that was what Tsukiyomi thought.

Ever since her friend entered the classroom, Tsukiyomi could immediately detect that something was off with the blue-eyed girl.

For one, she did not excitedly enter the classroom with a joyous greeting nor did she begin to discuss any events that happened the night before whether it be useless to shocking news. There was also the fact that she wasn't really paying attention to the classroom because, on a daily basis, she would reprimand some of their fellow classmates for trying to prank Fujisaki again.

The pace of the class was too mellow for a day before their fieldtrip to the zoo the next day. Tsukiyomi didn't know what to do because she would always be the quiet one next to the carefree Junko.

Finally not being able to handle the situation very well, Tsukiyomi took the initiative to start a conversation with Junko. "Ne, Junko-chan, are you okay?" she asked.

Junko slightly jumped, surprised to hear a voice in her countless thoughts that filled her mind. She turned her to face Tsukiyomi with a curious face before answering. "I'm fine, Tsukiyomi-chan. I am just thinking," Junko answered.

Tsukiyomi pouted. "What are you thinking about?"

"Family." Something was definitely wrong. Such vague answers were unheard of for the ebony-haired girl with crystal-like eyes.

"Did anything exciting happen yesterday?" Tsukiyomi asked, hoping for a more detailed and vividly described reply.

"Not really. I was at home alone with Kohaku while my parents had to stay late for work."

"Is that so?" Junko nodded in response and soon lost herself into staring at the gloomy weather outside their safely barricaded classroom from the cold air.

Fujisaki came in only to be greeted by twenty-some frogs entrapped in a large box, securely wrapped in wrapping paper so that the amphibians could not escape. After the class had successfully caught all the frogs hopping in the classroom, the let them free onto the school ground and re-entered the school to listen to the morning announcements.

Tsukiyomi barely paid attention to what Fujisaki was talking about as she uneasily watched Junko be silent for once in the mornings. Even though she wanted her friend to consult to her or at least talk to her normally, there was nothing she could do at the moment. Class had started meaning that she would have to wait until the end of class or when lunch time arrived.

With that, the morning trotted along at a tortuously slow pace.

Lunch finally came along and Tsukiyomi got up and faced her friend… or at least she would face her if she was still sitting in her seat. The girl looked right and then turned left only to see her classmates chatting or leaving the classroom to get lunch.

Junko was nowhere in sight, only to make the girl frantic. She sped-walked out the door in search for Junko only to run into Kisaragi, making them both fall down.

"Ow," Kisaragi complained. He looked up to see Tsukiyomi also sitting on the floor from their encounter. "Are you okay, Tsukiyomi?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she answered. Kisaragi stood up and lifted his hand in front of Tsukiyomi. She took it as he helped her off her feet. "Is there something that you need?"

"Yeah… Have you seen Junko around? I wanted to talk to her," he explained.

"Actually, I'm also looking for her. She immediately left class and I don't know where she is. Let's look for her together then," Tsukiyomi suggested.

"Why not?" They headed off, out into the outside world of frigid wind that could freeze them to death. Tsukiyomi suggested that they should go the basketball courts first because that was where Junko usually was. If not there, then there was the possibility she was sitting in the school's infamous greenhouse.

After some minutes, Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi arrived at the basketball courts only to see it bare of any life forms running on it that would usually be dribbling an orange ball with black lines. There was no doubt that they felt disappointed but they did not give up their search.

On their way to the greenhouse, Kisaragi began to ask questions and discuss with Tsukiyomi about the current situation with both Akashi and Junko.

"So Akashi-kun is also acting strange today?" Tsukiyomi asked.

"Yeah. I figured that his mood had something to do with Junko so I wanted to ask her what was going on with him. Asking him myself would be weird and it's hard to talk to him easily unlike when I talk to other people."

"I understand. He is a bit odd but that's what I like about him. He stands out from everyone else and he sticks with his belief."

Kisaragi scoffed. "If you ask me, he's just asking for attention. Akashi really likes showing off his power and stuff like that."

"Doesn't Kisaragi also like getting attention and showing off?" Tsukiyomi asked.

"I have a different reason for doing that unlike him!" Kisaragi defended.

"Really?" Before Kisaragi could answer, Tsukiyomi caught sight of the healthy foliage within a glass building in front of them. "Oh, there's the greenhouse!" She began running towards the building, leaving Kisaragi behind her.

"Don't ignore me!" he yelled after her.

They entered the greenhouse and stood in awe for a minute or so as they looked at the dark green leaves covering the sides of the glass building. Students crowded the room and loud chatter was heard throughout the space within the greenhouse.

"Junko wouldn't be here. It's too loud," Tsukiyomi noted as she thoroughly scanned the room for Junko. She saw no one that resembled the petite girl.

After double checking to make sure, the two left the greenhouse.

"Where else would she be?" Kisaragi asked as his eyes wandered around the campus in hope of finding the girl they were searching for.

"Who are you looking for?" a voice asked from behind them.

Both Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi jumped. They turned around to see Akashi behind them.

"Ah, we're looking for Junko," Tsukiyomi explained.

"I see. I haven't seen her since this morning as well. She was acting odd this morning which was why I have been acting strange as well. I apologize if it bothered you," Akashi told them in an unusually polite manner. "Do you mind if I join on your search?"

It took a while for the two to process the question but they answered fast enough before any awkwardness would appear.

"N-not at all." Tsukiyomi stuttered.

"Don't get in my way," Kisaragi threatened suddenly. He glared at Akashi which the latter was content to reply with a glare of his own.

"We should get going," Tsukiyomi interrupted. Thanks to being around these two as well as Junko for the past year, Tsukiyomi learned to interfere with these staring contests so that they can get done whatever they needed to get done. If she didn't interfere, well, expect a never-ending staring contest.

Akashi nodded and began walking at the front of the group. Kisaragi became angered at how Akashi just naturally took the lead and muttered about a certain someone being a jerk and a show off. Tsukiyomi silently followed, her chocolate eyes glancing between the boys while also searching for Junko.

It wasn't until she noticed that they turned a corner that Akashi's pace had quickened. It was as if he was in a hurry to accomplish an errand. Distracted by his sudden movements, she failed to see a familiar girl, conspicuously acting strange as her glazed blue orbs vacantly gazed at the koi pond ahead of her.

Kisaragi became wary of the pond and slowed down as it came into view. Tsukiyomi couldn't help but still speculate how he fell into the pond which just might have traumatized him for the rest of his life.

When Tsukiyomi and Kisaragi did notice Junko sitting on the bench, who did not seem to know that they are there, called out to the girl.

"Junko-chan! What are you doing here?" Tsukiyomi inquired, catching the other's attention.

"Hmm… I just wanted to look at the koi pond," she answered. Her response was odd to the three of them. She did now make a sign to either Akashi or Kisaragi to show that she acknowledged them only worried and irritated the red head.

Akashi stood in front of her then grabbed her wrist, pulling her so that she would stand up.

"More importantly, why aren't you wearing your jacket? It's cold our here, Kasumi. You'll get sick," Akashi reprimanded.

"Ah, sorry Seijuurou." Junko's answer sounded distant and hazy. It was unlike her to be like this.

Akashi tugged on her hand before he dragged her inside the school. Her skin was pale and rigid. It was cold and her body was shaking under the wintry air. Puffs of her breaths could be seen as she followed Akashi with bemused eyes.

Everything happened so suddenly, she couldn't keep track of what was going on.

Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi slightly lagged behind, not wanting to get in the way of the annoyed boy with blazing red hair.

Once inside the school, Akashi abruptly stopped at one side of the hallway, still gripping onto Junko's hand. They felt the difference of temperature immediately as they felt their bodies warm up under the school's air conditioning.

He faced her, his ruby red eyes staring into her sapphire blue ones.

"What's wrong, Kasumi? You've been acting strange all day," he asked in a gentle tone. Junko was quiet, hesitant to answer. The glazed look in her eyes disappeared before she looked down.

She felt ashamed that she could not answer him. She couldn't answer him yet.

Ever since that morning, after realizing and truly understanding the fact that her sisters were dead after several years, the guilt and loneliness had hit her. There was more to it than that but to actually bring the subject up would only bring tears. Junko refused to look any weaker than what Akashi had already seen.

"I… I can't tell you. Not yet."

"Why?" Another silence fell upon them. Akashi's grip around the girl's wrist loosened before he actually let go.

"I realized something that happened before I moved here to Japan. It hurts and I can't say it yet. One day, I'll tell you, Seijuurou. It is just that right now, I need to think about it." Junko returned her gaze to looking into the boy's eyes, confirming that she needed this time to think. "I apologize for worrying you, Seijuurou, and the others as well."

The girl turned her head to apply her apology to Tsukiyomi and Kisaragi who were hiding behind a wall. Junko was quite aware that they were with them though sensing the intense atmosphere between Junko and Akashi only made them feel awkward and forgotten. It was weird when Junko had turned her head towards them meaning that she knew that they had always been there even though she had acted as if she forgot about their existence.

Akashi sighed but smiled that she understood her mistake. It wasn't until she squeaked a sneeze that his stare slightly hardened in discontent.

"Kisaragi, tell sensei that I'll be late too class because I had to take Kasumi to the infirmary. You know what to tell Fujisaki-sensei as well, right, Tsukiyomi?" Akashi asked, his gaze turning to them.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Be glad that I'm not that much of a jerk to lie about your absence."

"They wouldn't believe you though, Kisaragi-kun," Junko retorted.

"Why you…" Tsukiyomi stepped between the blonde and Junko before any violence could occur.

"Please take care of her, Akashi-kun. I'll make sure Kisaragi-kun will get to his classroom. Get better, Junko-chan." The duo left with Tsukiyomi pulling Kisaragi by the ear and he yelling at her that his ear hurts.

Akashi sighed once more as the two disappeared from sight. "What are we going to do with them? No… What am I going to do with you? I told you that you'd get sick."

"Don't play that card on me, Seijuurou. Today was a messed up day okay? I couldn't think straight." Hearing her usual arguments only applied a smirk on his face.

"Is that so? I'm pretty sure that if you were really sick, you'd still have the common sense to bring a jacket if you were cold, right?"

"Just because you're sick doesn't mean that – Achoo!" Junko sniffed in displeasure.

Not wanting to delay any more time, Akashi once again held Junko's wrist but in a more tender grip and led her to the infirmary. After making sure she was sitting on the bed, Akashi took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Gregory-san. I need you to come to the school and pick up…" His voice trailed off as he left the room to continue to talk to man on the other side of the phone who Junko knew was Akashi's personal butler, the man who was like the father Akashi never had when his parents were not around.

Junko's eyes softened but only reflected the sorrowful and pitiful emotions she felt for Akashi. Despite the times she saw how he was happy with his parents, much of the gleeful actions were half forced. Junko saw how he had acted with Gregory; an old man with a head draped in gray hair and wrinkled skin, with more honest feelings.

She didn't know much but Junko knew that something was going on between Akashi and his father. There was no doubt about that conflict.

The squeak of the door resounded as it opened. Akashi walked over to Junko's side and placed his forehead against hers.

"You should rest," he commented. "You might get a fever and that might mean you can't participate in the field trip tomorrow. I called Gregory-san to come pick you up and take you home. I'll come over later with the rest of your homework and to check up on you."

"But-!"

"That's an order, Kasumi." Junko wanted to protest more but knew that it would be effortless to argue against her childhood friend's mind once he had decided on something.

Her crystal blue orbs softened as she looked up at Akashi and she smiled softly. She appreciated the care the boy was giving to her yet she also felt disappointed in herself. Wasn't she supposed to watch over Akashi? Not the other way around?

As if reading her mind, Akashi assured her that the situation was fine. "It's only a field trip, Kasumi. It is not like I am going into a place where I would get beat up and we're going in pairs with someone in our class so we should be fine. It's not completely your fault that you are in this state, Kasumi. Just take care of yourself and get proper rest. Understood?"

Junko chuckled before smiling sweetly at Akashi then nodded her head. "I understand, your highness," Junko said in a provoking tone. The red head took the chance of her lowered reflexes due to her becoming sick and pinching both her cheeks.

"It was fun at the beginning but now it's embarrassing if you call me that. Be quiet about this, Kasumi." Junko clearly heard the threatening tone in the boys voice but could only laugh strangely as her cheeks were pinched and were being pulled away from her.

" I gawt it , I gawt it. Stop pwuring my cheeks, Seijuuwou!" Junko mumbled as Akashi continued to pull her cheeks until they were red.

"That's good to hear. I'll see you later then, Kasumi."

"I'll see you later, Seijuurou." The red head exited the room, closing the door behind and left. Junko sat on her bed, staring at the door that had just closed. The room was still and no sound was heard other than the air conditioner that was set to keep the infirmary warm from the cold.

Once she felt that no one was around to hear her, Junko began to speak in a low voice, to herself. "I'm sorry, Seijuurou. Because Mommy and Daddy aren't always home and Sumomi-chan and Nadeshiko-chan no longer exist in this world, I felt lonely. I'm sorry for using you so that I won't feel lonely anymore. You need more help than I do and yet I make you worry more with my health…"

Junko sighed, unable to cope with her feelings. She felt guilt and self-pity, sorrow and frustration. She didn't know how to express these feelings and if she could share them with Akashi.

The blue eyed girl was cut off from her thoughts as the door opened again with Tsukiyomi in sight holding her friends bag.

"Hi Junko-chan! Fujisaki-sensei said that I could go get your stuff and bring it to you since you might be going home later. How are you feeling?" Tsukiyomi asked as she set the bag at the feet of the bed. She sat on the stool next to Junko's bed and stared inquisitively at Junko.

"I feel okay but not really well. Thank you, Tsukiyomi-chan for bringing my bag."

"You're welcome." Tsukiyomi's voice faded. She hid her face under her bangs as she looked at the floor.

Junko noticed the odd behavior and placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Is something wrong, Tsukiyomi-chan?" she asked worriedly.

The girl stiffened when Junko asked the question. She wasn't surprised one bit that Junko knew how she felt. Junko was able to tell what she was thinking ever since they first met starting with her small crush for Akashi which had slowly grown over the past few years.

"Well… I guess I'm a bit jealous of Junko-chan. Akashi-kun always takes care of you and worries about you. I want to feel cared for too by Akashi-kun."

Junko remained silent, her eyes narrowed at what her friend said. "To be truthful, Tsukiyomi-chan, I don't want Akashi to worry about me. He is going through a lot right now and I don't want him to make him worried more than he already is…" Junko's gaze soon turned to the gray sky outside.

"What do you mean, Junko-chan?" Tsukiyomi asked, not understanding.

The blue eyed girl shook her head. "Never mind. I'll talk to you about it another time."

There was no doubt that Tsukiyomi wasn't satisfied with the answer but didn't press on the subject. She sighed, accepting the situation for now.

The door of the infirmary opened once more. The nurse, a lean and petite woman with kind eyes that belonged to a gentle person, walked into the room in a white lab coat and clutching a clipboard to her chest.

"Ah, so you were here Junko-chan. This man said he was here to pick you up. Is that right?"

A tall and aged man walked into the room. Junko recognized him immediately and formed a small smile on her face.

"That's right sensei. It has been a while, Gregory-san," Junko greeted.

"It has, Kasumi-dono. Are you ready to go?" the man asked in a clear and deep voice.

Junko nodded. "I am." She slowly got out of the bed and grabbed her bag. She then turned her attention to Tsukiyomi. "I'll see you in a few days. I think I got kind of sick and Seijuurou said I should rest and take care of myself. I will see you then, Tsukiyomi-chan."

"Okay. I'll see you soon, Junko-chan." The girls bid their farewells and Junko followed Gregory to the front of the school where the jet black car sat, waiting to be driven.

Gregory opened the door to the back seats for Junko. She entered the car without hesitance as if it was completely normal for her to be treated as an important person.

Her mind went blank once she sat down and she began to think about how her life was lived and what could have happened that would have made it better. She stopped dreaming as an abrupt sound of a roaring engine came to life. The cotton seats began to slightly vibrate as the engine kept on running.

Gregory had entered the car and pressed on the breaks, making the car move.

After several minutes of a comfortable silence, Junko decided to break the silence.

"I'm sorry for troubling you, Gregory-san. If I wasn't careless, I wouldn't have to trouble you or Seijuurou."

The butler chuckled. "Do not worry, Kasumi-dono. Seijuurou-dono always talks about how he wants you to rely on him if you have any problems. He does not like to be the only one who is reliant."

Junko was bewildered by the older man's answer. "Really?" she asked, unable to comprehend the fact that Akashi would willingly help someone.

"Really. You are his first friend, Kasumi-dono. Seijuurou-dono cares for you a lot and wants you to treat him as an actual person. Please rely on him and trust him, Kasumi-dono."

A warm and fluttering feeling began to buzz in Junko's chest. 'So that's why Seijuurou told me to rest and that he would come over later…' Junko thought. She smiled before she gave out another sneeze at Gregory which he could see in the reflection of the rearview mirror.

"I will, Gregory-san. I promise."

They arrived at her house where she entered the house by herself and waved farewell to Gregory who drove away in the sleek, black car.

Kohaku purred and greeted Junko by rubbing against her legs. She smiled and scratched behind the ears of the cat.

"I'm home, Kohaku." Junko then went upstairs to change out of her uniform and dress into a light blue, long sleeve shirt and a plaid, teal pajama pants. She then walked to the kitchen and began heating a kettle filled with water. Junko retrieved a stool and opened a cabinet to take out a coffee mug which she had set on the counter. Next, she moved to the pantry and took out a packet of green tea which she opened and placed the silk-like bag with the tea leaves inside, into the mug.

The kettle whistled at a deafening high pitch. Junko turned off the stove and used a cloth mitten to carry the kettle over her mug and poured the heated water into it.

She watched the contents in the mug turn from a clear aqueous substance to one with a translucent green liquid. Steam swiftly and elegantly traveled upwards and disappeared into the invisible, large mass of air.

Junko hovered over the mug, feeling the hot steam condense on her cheeks. After a minute or so, Junko removed her face from the steam and stood there, waiting for the drink to cool in silence.

A purr came from her feet startling the girl. Junko looked down to see Kohaku sitting and staring up at her. She smiled and kneeled down so that she could scratch under the chin of her cat. "Why don't I get you your toy?" Junko asked the feline as it meowed in approval.

The fourth grader walked to the basket where Kohaku's toys were kept. She dug through it before she picked up a small stuff animal, a panther, and threw it across the room which Kohaku cheerfully chased. He pounced on the toy and chewed its ear for some catnip was hidden in several places of the toy.

Junko giggled before she returned to her mug of tea and brought it to the living room and sat it on the coffee table in front of her as she sat down on her couch.

She reached for the remote control that lay on the table and pressed the 'on' button, turning on the power for the television screen.

The screen flashed and the image of a newscaster was on the screen, pointing out to the different regions of Japan and the different weather around the country.

"Looks like it will be clear tomorrow but it's still pretty cold. Hopefully no one gets sick tomorrow," Junko murmured to herself.

A different news lady appeared on the screen, reporting an accident that occurred earlier that day. Due to the lack of interest of the subject, Junko changed the channel by pressing on an arrow button on the remote.

After surfing through the channels from Korean and Japanese dramas to anime to documentaries and commercials, Junko finally settled on an NBA game that had occurred in America the day before.

Content with what she was watching, Junko relaxed her shoulder and began sipping her tea. Her bod shivered as the warm liquid touched the cold insides of her body.

Despite only being a fourth grader, Junko took care of herself a lot because her parents were busy with work. Ever since this had occurred, Junko had to teach herself how to cook and the beginning wasn't much of a pretty picture. Over time she was able to make simple meals and dishes such as rice, scrambled eggs, boiled vegetables and ramen.

She felt successful in being able to cook especially by herself rather than before where she had helped her mother peel the skins off of carrots and potatoes or washed green vegetables for her mother to chop and take care of the dangerous parts of cooking. Even so, she had to admit she was pretty bad at baking or even heating up microwave dinner. How that is possible, that can only remain as a mystery.

Akashi had witnessed her cooking skills with all these subjects and advised her to only do what she was good at otherwise she might burn the house. Junko confidently agreed and commented how she was scared of when she had to bake or touch any microwaveable food.

After thinking this through because she was able to successfully make green tea, she her the doorbell ring. Junko looked at the time realizing that school had ended a while ago. She wondered how time went by so fast when all she did was make herself green tea, played with Kohaku a bit, changed clothes, and sat down to watch TV.

Junko stood up only to feel slightly light headed and stumbled over her own feet but was able to catch herself. She slowly walked to the front door and opened it, revealing Akashi standing there with a folder filled with some papers in it.

"Ah, hi, Seijuurou. Thank you for coming over and getting my homework." Junko's eyes widened when she heard her hoarse voice.

"You are getting sick. Come on, you need to get into bed." Akashi grabbed Junko's wrist and dragged her into her own house. Junko didn't protest and silently allowed Akashi to pull her up the stairs to her room.

They entered her room but stopped at the entrance. Akashi looked away, not really knowing what to do next.

Junko smiled and went to her bed and sat on it. "I made green tea for myself downstairs. My cup is on the coffee table. Do you mind getting it, Seijuurou?" she whispered but loud enough for Akashi to hear.

Honestly, she was unsure if asking Akashi would easily agree to such a request because he had rarely been asked to do anything other than the teachers and his parents. If he was asked anything by a fellow classmate such as, "Could you take over cleaning duty for me today?" he would reply with a, "Is it my job to do it? I have no responsibilities for what you have to do," and then walk away.

It was a cold reply but to an extent, it was true.

"I don't mind. Stay here." Junko was surprised that he agreed so easily. She watched him leave her room with Kohaku stealthily following behind him.

She could feel the corners of her mouth twitch upwards once more. The warm fluttering feeling returned and she felt herself become strangely happy.

Junko clutched her shirt and closed her eyes, embracing the moment and engraved the memory of today into her mind despite the hurt she felt.

There was no need for her to worry about her sisters. Junko had a feeling that they would always be with her, just like her mother said after she learned that they died, and that they are experiencing what she had seen.

She felt this way because she realized that even if Akashi wasn't by her side, she could still feel this kind and gentle warmth that lingered in her chest. Junko stayed in this position even when Akashi walked in with Kohaku on his shoulders.

He noticed Junko's strange behavior and approached her with care as to not spill the green tea.

"Is something wrong, Kasumi?" he asked. Junko looked up at him with light dancing in her eyes. She shook her head and smiled at him.

"I'm just happy, Seijuurou. I am happy that you are taking care of me and that I know that even if we are far away, we are still connected to each other, right?" Akashi looked at her like she was crazy but he allowed himself to think about what she said.

"Sometimes I don't understand you, Kasumi. We'll always be together because you belong to me, right?" Junko could only giggle.

"That's right, Seijuurou." She then yawned and took the mug into her hands and drank from it, savoring the natural, somewhat bitter taste of the tea. Junko then placed the mug onto the desk that sat beside her bed and snuggled into her covers.

"What about Gregory-san? Is it okay if you stay here?" Junko realized.

"I already called my parents and they said it's okay if I'm here as long as I do my homework. I'm done with most of it so I can take care of you more. Gregory-san will come over later to pick me up," Akashi explained.

"I see. Well, good night Seijuurou. I'm tired all of a sudden." Junko yawned again but it was longer and more distorted in how it sounds.

She allowed her eyes to close and let her consciousness drift off. Soon she fell asleep with Akashi staring at her sleeping figure.

Kohaku jumped onto the bed and curled up on top of Junko before he also fell asleep.

"To just fall asleep like that… Good night, Kasumi." Akashi whispered before he kissed her on her forehead and began doing his homework.

* * *

_A/N: And so the end of the chapter has come. I apologize for the late update. Homework is really killing me right now. _

_ I saw the raw version of Chapter 208 earlier. Poor Kuro-chan, he was so nervous that he tripped and got a nosebleed and either he can't keep up with anyone or the others can't keep up with his passes. They really are looking down on Kuro-chan right now which makes me mad but…_

_Moving on from that, I sincerely apologize for the late update and if my author notes are long. I tend to have a lot of things to say._

_Please leave a review! Thank you!_


	7. Chapter 6: Confessions and heartbreaks

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuroko no Basuke characters or franchise. The OC's belong to me._

_Author's Note: I'm really happy with last chapter's response. Thanks to Xxdreamgirl95xX, Rasielis, Oyakoro-san, CherryPop0120, Jasmine831, Infinite Skye, EvilBoysRCute, and T-Time Yosh for reviewing! I feel overjoyed by everyone's reviews._

_I am honestly at a point in life where I have moved to another "stage" from where my life was focused on one thing that it is now focused on another. In my case, I have moved on to my love for the different art forms in life as well as other entertainment subjects. This includes music, writing, drawing, browsing pictures, watching anime, and feeling passionate for all these things. It turns out to be a bad thing though because I'm not focused on homework. _

_Um… I think that's it for now. If I have any new news then that will be in my other author's note at the end of the chapter. Oh, and if you think that the beginning is random, just read it all the way through. If you do, I would like to see what you're guys views are on it. I want to see how well I did at the beginning._

_Thank you for reading!_

* * *

A jet zoomed pass dozens of clouds, creating white streaks in the sky as it wildly spun and dodged a number of missiles aimed at it.

The repetitive, obnoxious clicking of machine guns echoed in the rushing wind as the pilot used them to target enemy aircrafts.

Having to fail at hitting any enemy aircraft, the pilot targeted one jet at a time by changing the weapons used from machine guns to missiles that were launched and accurately hit its opponents.

An explosion of fire and black smoke came from the side of the last aircraft in the area, making it impossible to maneuver to safety from crashing on land or sinking in the deep pool of blue that seemed endless as you looked up at the horizon where the sun was starting to set.

Brilliant colors of orange and yellow took over the sky with a purple hue beginning to overcome the warmer colors as the bright star that kept the land warm began to sink below the horizon as if to never resurface again.

The pilot flipped the jet as he was warned that a new wave of enemy aircrafts was coming his way, gleaming in the orange light of the setting sun. Following his radar, the pilot turned to face his newfound opponents and hoped to survive with what little ammo he had left.

He fired his machine guns at them only to overheat the weaponry. If he was cursing at the machine, no one could tell as they looked upon him through the glass of the jet which allowed only so much to be seen in the cramped up space.

Enemy missiles were fired once more except multiple of them came his way. There was no chance of escape now. Eyes began to close as he was imagined to have prayed to live happier in his next life.

His sleek, silver-colored jet burst into a flaming inferno and began to fall to the never-ending ocean underneath him.

'Game Over' flashed across the screen in white with a red background as the jet continued to fall into the ocean.

"No! No! No!" cried Junko as she saw her father failed for the fifth time in a row playing the video game on the Pl*y St*t**n. "We almost beat our high score!" She fell, face first onto the carpet floor and grumbled unhappily knowing how close her father was to beating his last high score.

Junko Hiroto chuckled at his daughter as she was frustrated. "We'll get it next time. Come on. One more game before your friends come over," encouraged Hiroto as he tried to cheer up Junko.

Junko slightly turned her head to the side, looking at her father who was smiling back at her with a twinkle in his milk chocolate colored eyes.

She couldn't help but smile at his smile and agreed to play again except it was her turn to take control of the pilot on the screen.

"Honestly, the both of you. When you get your days off, you go off and indulge yourselves with pointless video games. Your friends are coming over today too, Sumi-chan," Junko's mother reprimanded.

"Don't worry. Besides it helps with your reflex skills. This will be our last game right?" Hiroto asked his daughter.

"Yep! This will be our last game and then we'll clean up, Mommy," Junko agreed.

Temaki sighed. The end of the last school year occurred and now the children from the fourth grade, now to soon be in fifth grade, had ran wildly as they were glad a month of no school awaited them. Because of the break, Junko wanted to invite her friends over since they had time.

After several minutes, the ringing of the doorbell echoed throughout the household. Temaki wiped her hands on her apron and walked towards the door.

"No way! They're here already?" Junko exclaimed in comical shock as she quickly glanced at the front door while still pressing buttons away on the controller. Hiroto chuckled and stood up to stretch, getting ready to clean up.

Her mother sighed and opened the door changing her irritated face into a sweet smile as she saw two children standing outside of her door.

One child, a girl, had shoulder length black hair and hazel colored eyes. Her round eyes and soft smile almost looked angelic that Temaki wanted to hug her and dress her up unlike Junko who would refused to dress into a dress or anything girly for that matter when she felt that it was unnecessary to dress up. She wore a pink sweater with a flower embroidered onto the left side of her shirt and a white flowing skirt to match the sweater.

The other child was a boy who was slightly taller than the girl with blonde hair and chestnut colored eyes. His complexion was almost like a females but his hair that had been recently trimmed was one of the few clues that made look like a male. That and he wore a light blue long-sleeved shirt with a short-sleeve green shirt over that one with a pair of jeans.

"Nice to meet you," the two children greeted at the same time.

"I'm Kisaragi Ryousuke."

"And I am Tsukiyomi Hana."

"It's nice to meet the both of you Kisaragi-kun and Tsukiyomi-chan. I am Junko Temaki, Sumi-chan's mother. Why don't we -." Temaki was cut off as a loud explosion was heard within the house. A long and anticipated silence followed only leaving the three at the front door to look into the house, wondering what had happened.

Temaki was sure that Junko had finally met the devastating loss of another game over and was now in silence, taking in her failure at the game. Contradicting to that thought, Junko ran towards the doorway with a large smile on her face.

"I beat Daddy's high score!" she screamed as she made her way to her two friends and hugged them both.

"Were you playing video games again?" Tsukiyomi asked. She showed neither irritation nor shock which Temaki had expected but didn't happen.

"Well, I was playing with Daddy and I wanted to play before everyone came so we played and I'm really happy!"

"That's because you won right? Show the game to me later then, Junko. I want to see if it's worth getting to play," Kisaragi said as he took Junko's arm off of him.

"I will do it later then. We can't look at it now since you just came," the blue eyed girl explained.

Before Kisaragi could answer the rumbling growl of an engine was heard, heading towards the Junko residence.

A black, sleek car moved in front of the house and stopped. Out came a familiar old man by the name of Gregory who opened the door to the back seat. Akashi Seijuurou walked stepped out of the car with a stern and irritated look upon his face.

Seeing this, Junko frowned but only for a second as she replaced it with a smile and ran up to Akashi and Gregory.

"Hi Gregory-san! Seijuurou!" Junko ran up to them and jumped on Akashi to hug him.

Kisaragi scowled at the sight of the fancy and expensive looking car. Tsukiyomi watched with distant and longing eyes, feeling somewhat out of place whenever Junko and Akashi were together.

"Please let go of me, Kasumi," Akashi 'requested' in a commanding tone. Junko gave a small pout before she released her hold of the red head male. She smiled when she now saw the annoyed face that she knew meant that she was successful with getting rid of whatever dark thought that was occupying Akashi's mind before.

"What's wrong with a hug?" she asked yet already knowing the answer.

"It's the fact that you squeeze me rather than hug me which is what is wrong." Akashi then turned to Gregory and bowed to him as a sign of farewell. "I'll see you later, Gregory-san."

Gregory bowed, saying nothing as he stepped back into the car and drove away.

Junko looked back at her house after the car was out of sight to see that her mother ushered her other two friends inside the house. Once they were out of sight, she and Akashi began to walk towards the abode.

Feeling that it was safe to speak Junko turned her head towards Akashi. Her mouth was in a straight line, neither showing her usual elation or comical disappointment.

"Are you okay, Seijuurou?" she asked with a concern voice.

Sensing the difference in mood, Akashi slightly looked down before he looked back up, focusing on their destination.

"Nothing gets pass you, does it?"

"Don't ignore my question, Seijuurou."

"I'm fine. Otou-san and I just had a disagreement."

They were now at the entrance of the house. Junko was then silent knowing that Akashi wanted the subject to be disclosed only to them though he never intended to tell her about it at all. Well, he never did tell her. Junko had figured it all out by close observation on her friends.

It was, despite how strange it was, normal for Junko to observe people. Everyone noticed but because she stared at almost everything from people to unanimated objects, it turned out that most people thought of it as a habit whenever she was bored.

No one had suspected though that Junko would go to the extent to learn about the habits, personality and feelings of others to the point where she could almost exactly pinpoint what kind of problem they had.

Sapphire eyes closed for a second as she pondered over what she could do to help her friend but at the moment, found it hopeless. She had no power to change Akashi's life let alone the ever ruling decisions that his father made.

The fact that Akashi was allowed to go to her house was a sign that her family was highly trusted. She knew this and Akashi knew this. It was still a way to keep him locked onto the path set by his father because his father allowed him to go there and only there.

"What took you guys so long?" Kisaragi asked as he walked into the hallway. Junko figured that he was there because he was sent to fetch her and Akashi.

"We were just talking. Don't worry about it," Junko said, a smile placing itself upon her face.

"The both of you are slow. Hurry up. We're going to play Twister," Kisaragi hurried.

"Have you ever thought that you might be impatient rather than us being slow?" Akashi argued back.

Kisaragi scoffed. "As if. Even if I am impatient, it's better than the both of you planning something behind our backs."

"You really believe that each time we talk to each other that we are always scheming something?" Junko asked in exaggerated surprise.

"Whatever. Just hurry up." Kisaragi flattened his hands out and placed them on Junko's and Akashi's back which led to him pushing them into the room to speed up.

Hiroto was in the middle of setting up the large mat with rows of red, blue, yellow, and green dots. Tsukiyomi was holding the spinner for the game and was randomly flicking the black arrow, watching it spin around multiple times before it stopped on a different command.

"Look who made it to the party. Well, we don't have all day. Let's play!" Akashi, Tsukiyomi, and Kisaragi stared at Junko's father as if he was a stranger with his carefree and childish attitude.

Junko on the other hand was amazed by her father. "The last two sentences rhyme, Daddy!" she exclaimed, oblivious to her friends who were keeping a distance to her father.

"It did, didn't it? Let's see how many words we can rhyme as a competition today. Do you guys want to join?" Hiroto asked the three visiting children.

"No thank you," Tsukiyomi rejected politely.

"I'd rather not do something that I don't need to do," Kisaragi claimed.

"Shouldn't we pay attention to playing Twister, Junko-san?" Akashi asked, hoping to change the subject.

"The three of you are no fun," Hiroto pouted. "Looks like it's just you and me, Sumi-chan."

"That's fine Daddy. We can just play by ourselves. We don't need them to have fun when we play."

Akashi sighed. "That's fine by us, Kasumi. Who is going to spin the spinner?" Akashi asked, attempting to get them to play Twister again before he didn't want to play at all.

"I'll let you guys have some fun. Maybe on the way I'll create some puns," Kiroto said, his mouth twitching onto his face.

"What's a pun?" Junko asked, completely unsure if it was a word or not.

"It's like a joke that uses a specific word, sound, or meaning and play around with it. For example: Let-tuce go eat at the sandwich shop."

If Hiroto was expecting a round of applause or laughter, he must have been disappointed when he got none.

The four children stood in a line and blankly stared at the man. "Lame," they concluded in unison.

"I understand it but…" Tsukiyomi's voice trailed off, unable to find the right words to describe the situation.

"It just wasn't funny, oji-san," Kisaragi said.

"Seriously?!" Hiroto cried out in exaggerated shock.

"Daddy's jokes are horrible," Junko added.

"Let's play before we completely get distracted," Akashi urged.

Hiroto slumped his shoulders in humiliation and sat on the couch as he flicked the arrow and called out the commands it pointed to in a low and depressed voice.

The children ignored him and played. Junko had lent Tsukiyomi a pair of sweat pants knowing that you could get into some awkward positions when playing the game.

Limbs began to tangle around each other and some parts of them trembled as they fought back the urge to collapse. The first two people who fell down first had to dress up as something they hate and act like them for half an hour, a torture for all the children.

Squeals and shouts were heard as they stumbled yet continued to stay balanced to the best of their abilities while others fought with each other who got a spot first.

"Right foot, red," Hiroto called out, amused by the struggling bodies in front of him. It had only been ten minutes and already were they slightly sweating from the use of their arms and legs to keep them up.

Kisaragi stretched his muscles to try and reach a red circle that was three rows away from his right foot. He would have touched it if Akashi hadn't placed it their first making it impossible for Kisaragi to move at all.

Because his foot was lifted for too long, Kisaragi stumbled and slipped, hitting his face against the carpet floor.

"You did that on purpose!" Kisaragi accused Akashi.

"That's the point. You want other people to lose so that you won't have to do anything embarrassing," Akashi pointed out.

The thought of koi fish flashed through Kisaragi's mind and he shivered. He slowly crawled out of the game mat next to Hiroto hugging his knees.

"Are you okay?" asked Hiroto as he looked at Kisaragi's pitiful form.

"I have to dress up as koi fish," he whispered, barely audible for the older man to hear.

'Koi fish? Why is he afraid of koi fish?" Hiroto thought. Junko purposefully looked away. She knew no one knew that she did it other than Akashi but she felt that it was necessary for her to do it. Junko then saw Tsukiyomi quickly glancing at her before focusing on her balance once more.

Junko gulped realizing that Tsukiyomi was still suspicious of her after two years since the incident. She was going to have to convince Tsukiyomi not to tell anyone if she really believed that the other girl was responsible for Kisaragi's trauma.

Unlike Junko's fear of being exposed or Tsukiyomi's low stamina and endurance, Akashi was calm and collected as he continued to play the game. The one thought that kept him going was the thought of dressing up as a dog, the animal that he detested with a burning passion.

Kohaku lazily walked into the room and stared at his owner as well as the two other people on the mat in awkward positions with their arms and legs far apart or too close together.

Curiosity would have killed the cat for Kohaku had walked under the arched bodies then rubbed his soft and ticklish fur against Junko's skin.

Junko fought back hard but in the end gave in as Kohaku continued to rub against her. She fell, landing on the feline's tail causing him to yelp in pain and run out of the room.

Crocodile tears began to fall down Junko's eyes as she glared at the running cat. "Don't you love me at all Kohaku?! Why did you do it? Why?" She cried out in a loud voice. "Now I have to wear a dress!"

Tsukiyomi could only stare at Junko in disbelief. "You don't like wearing dresses, Junko-chan?" she asked, shock obviously threading her voice.

"I really, really dislike wearing them! Before we moved to Japan, a boy lifted my skirt and saw my panties! That's why I don't like wearing them!"

"No wonder you were against it during the first Mother's day party," Akashi realized as he relaxed his body and sat on the mat with his hands behind him to support his body as he leaned backwards.

"The only reason why I wear it sometimes is if it is an important event otherwise I don't want to wear them. I wear shorts underneath skirts. For some reason though, I don't like wearing shorts under dresses and it feels uncomfortable so I don't wear them."

"You know the deal though, Kasumi. If you don't you'll have to deal with me," Hiroto explained, still rhyming his words.

"I want to choose Junko-chan's dress!" Tsukiyomi volunteered.

"I'll help you," Temaki appeared from the kitchen, her apron off and her hands damp from washing them after preparing lunch.

"Not you too, Mommy!" Junko felt like she was ready to die or at least crawl into a hole and never come back out.

"Come on. The faster we do this the faster you can take this off," Temaki encouraged. "I have a dress that I want you to try out anyway." She grabbed her daughter's wrist and dragged her up the stairs with Tsukiyomi trailing behind.

That left the three males downstairs who were somewhat nervous about Junko's mother's personality though Hiroto already knew what was behind that beautiful and kind face.

"Now to get a costume for Kisaragi," Akashi said to Kisaragi's horror. His body became stiff of fright.

"Hmm, we don't have any fish costumes but we do have those kites that I used for Children's day. He can just hold one with him the whole time," explained Hiroto.

"I guess that's the best we can do," Akashi agreed.

"I can't escape from this at all, can I?" Kisaragi mumbled into his knees. Hiroto stood up and left to go look for the fish kite.

Akashi smirked. "I see no other way out."

"You look great, Junko-chan!" Tsukiyomi mused as she looked at the almost unrecognizable girl.

Junko wore a spaghetti strap, pale yellow dress with a white, short-sleeve, and knitted sweater over it. Her hair was down and in curls that kept on falling in front of her face. A yellow flower with a blue rhinestone in the middle was clipped to one side of her hair, keeping only part of her hair from bother her line of sight. She wore white sandals to complete the outfit that was, in Junko's opinion, too girly and embarrassing.

"I don't think I can do this…" Junko mumbled.

"It's only for half an hour Sumi-chan. You'll live," Temaki reassured her daughter while patting her head.

The girl pouted before she reluctantly followed her mother and friend downstairs.

She paused before she descended the last step, unnecessarily vexed by the predicament she was placed in. Junko sighed, deciding to ignore the attire she was wearing and try to act natural.

Her feet slowly led her to the entrance to the living room where she had subconsciously stopped at. Junko forced a smile but the twitch at the corner of her lips that tended to happen every few seconds only expressed her discomfort.

In front of her she saw Kisaragi who was slightly sulking that he had to carry a koi kite with him while Akashi was smirking at the mental pain he had to endure while her father was talking to her mother casually about something she did not pay attention to and Tsukiyomi was trying to comfort the gloomy boy.

Everyone was content at the moment and that made Junko relax a little bit more. Her eyes softened as well as her smile. She could watch this scene forever.

Akashi who felt that someone was staring at them turned his head around to see Junko in the sunny yellow dress and white sweater over smiling at them at the entrance of the living room. His crimson eyes widened at how sweet Junko looked like and a small blush crossed his face but it soon disappeared when she began to panic as his eyes met hers.

When Junko saw Akashi turn around and look at her, her heart skipped a beat becoming self-aware of what she was wearing and she began to look left and right frantically unsure of what to do. She froze when she heard a small chuckle escaped Akashi's lips and her face reddened in embarrassment.

"Don't laugh, Seijuurou!" Junko whined as she hid her face behind her hands.

"Oh! I didn't see you, Junko. You look really pretty!" exclaimed Kisaragi completely forgetting the kite that was in his arms.

"Doesn't she? You should wear dresses more often, Junko-chan!" Tsukiyomi told Junko.

"I don't want to…" Junko mumbled, still hiding her face.

She felt hands gently grabbing her wrists and pulling them down from her face. Her cerulean eyes met ruby red ones that bore into her soul. A gentle smile crept onto the face with the red orbs.

The owner of the warming smile and attractive eyes had his forehead touch Junko's. She was dumbstruck at the situation and for once didn't know what to do with the boy in front of her.

"It's not like we're going to do anything to you Kasumi. You really do look pretty and you shouldn't be embarrassed." Akashi lifted his forehead and began pulling her towards their group of friends. "Now you'll sit and hang out with us for half an hour so that I can make fun of you."

"That's mean Seijuurou!" Akashi chuckled once more and pulled Junko down to sit next to him.

Junko began reprimanding the red head but he allowed her scolding to go through one ear and out the other.

Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi collectively wondered if Junko was really okay being teased like that and why she, in the end, always gives in.

Hiroto and Temaki walked out of the room allowing the children to have fun on their own. They smiled at each other at the quite comical scene of the children yelling at each other and discussing whatever subjects they wanted to talk about. It was especially adorable when they saw Junko and Akashi friendly arguing with each other if that was even possible.

"The both of them are so considerate of each other. Sumi-chan is always worrying about Akashi-kun and they get along really well," commented Temaki.

"I would have a daughter complex but Akashi is also protective for our daughter and he knows how to treat Sumi-chan like a gentleman when he needs to plus he has a good sense of humor. I wouldn't mind if they got married in the future."

"Isn't that right? They would be perfect for each other. Hopefully no one stands in their way. I would like to have such a respectable young man as my son-in-law."

* * *

The half hour passed hectically with Junko and Kisaragi insulting each other for who knows what reason with Akashi adding a comment of insult of his own to both sides making the other two get mad at him. Tsukiyomi would sometimes be a victim with Junko and Kisaragi questioning her who was right about whose personality.

In the end she would give no comment and stay neutral throughout the whole bickering. It was entertaining nonetheless but it was also annoying when they do bicker for a long period of time. Tsukiyomi was quite glad when the thirty minutes of the deal were up and Junko went upstairs to change her clothes.

"The both of them are quite the excitable people," Akashi commented nonchalantly as he took a sip from his cup of water.

"Sometimes I wonder how we put up with them." Tsukiyomi sighed in relief which Akashi took as a signal to finally confront the girl.

"Moving that aside, I've been wanting to talk to you, Tsukiyomi-san." Akashi placed his cup of water on the coffee table that sat in front of the couch.

"What is it, Akashi-kun?" she asked in confusion.

"I would like it if you could stop liking me. It is troublesome to have someone like you when you know you cannot return the feelings."

There was a silence. Tsukiyomi was shocked that Akashi had noticed her feelings let alone that fact that he actually confronted her about it.

Seeing how the girl wasn't going to speak up, Akashi continued. "Kasumi has not told me anything. Your actions alone are what allowed me to know your feelings. I do not plan on liking anyone soon. Tsukiyomi-san, you are like all other girls who have wanted me to like them. I have no interests in them as I have no interest in you even if Kasumi tries to make us like each other. The only reason why I hang out with you is because Kasumi is your friend."

Tsukiyomi's heart was stabbed multiple times when she heard this. It was like a fire began to burn her heart away where each word was so intensifying and hot that she wanted to disappear from the world and not face the tortuous heat gnawing at the edge of her feelings.

"Then… do you like Junko-chan?" she whispered, her bangs covering her face. Akashi watched the girl began to crumble and shake.

He felt no remorse for what he had done. If he had use tact to reject her indirectly, she still might have had some hope in chasing him for his heart which he had no intentions of wanting. After hearing the other girl's question, he felt like the situation was getting ridiculous. Didn't he already say he had no intentions in having such relationships?

"I like her but as a friend. I already said that I do not plan in liking anyone like that. If you are wondering why Kasumi is always by my side, it is because of her decision. I never forced her to be with me in the first place. If anything, I owe her for all she has done for me so I will also stay by her side when she is in need," Akashi explained, his eyes looking down at the girl who was leaning over her knees and clutching onto the shaggy carpet beneath them.

Tears threatened to pour down Tsukiyomi's face but she didn't want to look anymore pathetic than she already did now. She quickly stood up, still trying to keep herself from creating any waterworks.

"Please tell Junko-chan that something important came up and that I will have to leave. I will see you later then, Akashi-kun," Tsukiyomi said quickly before she began to fast-walk into the hallway and out of the house.

Meanwhile Junko was with Kisaragi in the garage putting away the celebration koi-looking kites away. After repackaging them they then proceeded to reenter the house.

Junko was about to twist the handle of the door open before Kisaragi placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to look behind her, her eyes slightly confused about what was going on.

"May I ask you something, Junko?" the blonde asked.

"Sure." Junko let go of the handle and turned to face the boy whose face became slightly darkened and serious.

"Why do you let Akashi treat as if you were his servant or as if you belong to him? You don't belong to him, do you?"

"I thought you were going to ask one question." Junko smiled teasingly at the other boy but his expression did not change to his usual quick tempered self.

"Junko…" She sighed, seeing how this was an inevitable situation.

"Let's see… It's quite normal that he teases me though I don't always like it. When he tells me to do something, I see no harm in doing it so I don't really mind doing what he says either. Seijuurou doesn't control everything I do though either."

"But don't you get tired of being told what to do? "

"Not really. Seijuurou usually tells me to do weird things most of the time but it doesn't happen a lot like it used to. That was before you moved to our school, Kisaragi-kun."

"But why though?" Junko was silent, thinking of what to say.

"Well… I just want to do something for him I guess. Seijuurou is facing a hard time right now and I know him the best so I guess I want to make him happy. If he's happy then I am happy. That's all there is to it," Junko explained.

"I see," Kisaragi mumbled. He sighed realizing that he probably doesn't have that much room in Junko's heart of people she had to care for. "I think I like you Junko." His bangs covered his eyes as he confessed Junko who had a calm face as he confessed.

"I know. I can't say that I feel the same way though, Kisaragi-kun. I'm sorry." Junko gave a sad smile as she faced him.

Kisaragi quickly looked up and flicked Junko on her forehead. She quickly covered her head with her hands and glared at the blonde in front of her. "What was that for?" she demanded.

"Don't be sorry. It's my fault for knowing that I can't make you like me yet still trying to get your attention by making you mad. You care for your family and Akashi more, right? Then take care of them. I don't want you to take care of them but not feel happy doing it. Come one, before anyone worries about us."

Junko smiled and lightly punched Kisaragi on the arm. "Why would I not be happy taking care of them? And who said I didn't care for you and Tsukiyomi-chan too? You guys have to be happy too otherwise I won't be happy as well."

Hearing this, Kisaragi smiled. "Whatever. I don't need you to look after me."

"Really? Because from what I've seen before, a lot of girls will chase you and one day you'll be stuck in the corner of a room with no escape. You are going to need someone's help if you are dealing with those kinds of girls, Kisaragi-kun."

"I can outrun all of them," Kisaragi defended.

"Then prove it," Junko challenged, a smirk forming on her face.

"I will. When school starts again, I'll show you that I can outrun them for all of the lunch period."

"I'm looking forward to it."

They continued bickering playfully until they reached the living room where Junko noticed that Tsukiyomi wasn't there.

"The both of you took your time," Akashi said as he was watching a basketball game on the television.

"Where's Tsukiyomi-chan?" Junko asked with concern slightly heard in her voice.

"She said that something came up and she had to go somewhere," explained Akashi.

"Then she's going to miss out on a lot of fun. What do you think, Junko?" asked Kisaragi.

"Y-yeah. Come on, Kisaragi. I'll show you the video game I was playing earlier." Akashi heard the unconvinced voice coming from Junko.

There was no doubt she had noticed something from him that she knew he was lying. Sometimes he believed that Junko was too observant for her own good. The fact that she stares at everyone's body movements and pays attention to how they speak is quite terrifying because she can tell what they are thinking or feeling by just analyzing their every movement.

At that time, Akashi hoped that Junko wouldn't go to any other basketball team otherwise she would be quite the difficult opponent to defeat. Fortunately for him, whether he knew it or not, Junko would stay by his side on the court most of the time unless of course there were situations that she could not avoid and couldn't attend a basketball game with him even if she was there in the most indirect way possible.

* * *

_A/N: I'm am really sorry for not updating over three weeks! This is like a record for me because I usually take at least over a little of a week to update. I've been busy with all these end of the school year projects and it's driving me crazy. I might not update for a while after this as well until a week after school is over._

_Why a week after school? Because right after school ends, I'm going to Hawaii for summer vacation for a week. This is a heads up for future notices of when I will and will not update._

_Next I would like to discuss about Chapter 211 which has come out raw and I am waiting for it to be translated. So far from a discussion of Akashi's personality and characterizing him with two other people on the KNB Author Forum by Infinite Skye, I am beginning to hesitate on writing the next chapter until the Teiko arc is done._

_If anyone wants to see the dilemmas of why Infinite Skye and I are hesitating to write our AkashixOC stories, please read that discussion. I reread it and it's quite comical to an extent and some parts random but over all, you can see what we think of Akashi based on our interpretations from what we have seen in the manga, anime and other media products that have shown Akashi on there._

_That's it for now! Please drop of a review, follow, and/or favorite if you haven't done so yet! Constructive criticism is also appreciated! _


	8. Chapter 7: Evading from the Truth

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuroko no Basuke characters or franchise. The OC's belong to me. If the title, plot, original characters or personalities of characters shows a resemblance to other stories, it is purely coincidental._

_Author's Note: Um, well, I've been stressing about school but everything is starting to lessen up so I'm happy about that. Let's hope nothing else big comes up that might hinder me from writing._

_I took the AP Biology test today too but… Well, at least I don't have to take the final for that. _

_Now to continue with the story!_

* * *

Junko remembered that one particular day a few days ago before school started. It all began when she had come back home from her daily walk with Kohaku trotting beside her.

The sky was clear and blue and the sun shone considerately across the neighborhood making it warm. The cool breeze followed, adding to the tranquility of the afternoon.

The ebony-haired girl smiled brightly at the perfect weather and practically skipped her way towards her humble abode. Kohaku on the other hand, took his time as he lazily strode across a brick wall stealthily following Junko towards their home.

It wasn't until the house was in sight did they feel as if something was wrong. In front of the house on the drive way was a familiar black, sleek car with an aged man with gray in a suit standing in front of it.

"Gregory-san!" Junko called out in excitement as she saw the elder waiting patiently for whoever was visiting her family. Judging by how formal he stood and the straight face the man wore, she had concluded that Akashi's parents were here rather than just Akashi himself. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come to drive Akashi's father here. He wanted to talk to your parents about… something. It is best that Kasumi-dono does not interfere with the adults today," advised Gregory as he spoke to the girl.

"Okay, Gregory-san. Is something wrong though?" she asked curiously. Kohaku stood close to Junko, his multicolored body against Junko's legs as he glared at the door.

"You will learn over time, Kasumi-dono. You should get going." Gregory gently urged Junko inside the house. Junko pouted, irritated when said to her that she would learn something over time. Of course she did learn as she grew older whenever someone said that she would learn something over time. It was just a pet peeve she had ever since she was a petite child.

Junko hesitantly walked to her front door. She tested the knobs first, to see if it was or wasn't locked. Shockingly, it was left unlock even though her parents were keen about safety and taking care of their home.

She walked in, stopping a bit once inside and looked down the halls to see any signs of her parents or Akashi's parents. Kohaku paused next to her, perking up his ears at the slightest whisperings of voices from the living room.

Soft steps were taken one at a time as she approached said room. Blue eyes peeked from the doorway at three figures sitting around the coffee table, faces darkened and distorted into looks of hurt and disbelief. Among these three figures were her parents and a familiar red head that resembled a much older Akashi except instead of the usual composed and neatly dressed Akashi Yuudai was a man with disheveled hair that covered the man's unshaven face.

"Um, I'm home," Junko greeted her parents and Yuudai as she hesitantly allowed herself to be fully seen by the adults.

"Welcome home, Sumi-chan. Why don't you go grab a snack and go upstairs for a bit, okay? Mommy and Daddy have to talk to Akashi jii-san in private." Junko watched her mother's trembling eyes try to keep their composure as they talked to her. Something was definitely bothering them but by the looks of it, it seemed that they didn't want to discuss about it with a fifth grader.

"Okay, Mommy," Junko answered without resistance sensing that it was best she kept out of the way today. Yuudai's presence took time away from Junko's family time but it was unavoidable with how broken he looked. Junko bowed to the adults and headed towards the kitchen to find a snack with Kohaku following behind her.

She opened the pantry and took out a package of fruit snacks and walked towards the stair well. The blue eyed girl however, stopped in her tracks when she heard something she was sure she wasn't supposed to hear at all.

"Did she really file a divorce, Yuudai?" Junko's father questioned in a low and quiet tone.

"If she didn't I wouldn't be here right now. I don't know what to do. Seijuurou's in a mess himself because his mother left him. More importantly, he won't talk to anyone let alone get out of his room. It isn't like he sees his mother that often either…" Yuudai commented.

"But he knew that she would always come home to return to him. Her leave now has left an impression that she won't come back ever again and he knows it."

Junko quickly left as quietly as she could from that point onwards, panic hitting her mentality. Kohaku chased after Junko and into her room where she closed and locked the door. She threw the package of candy onto her desk and she dug through her sports bag for her phone.

Once her hand gripped a small, rectangular, familiar shape, she quickly opened up the screen and pressed one of the buttons that she set for speed dial.

She tapped the back of her foot against the carpet floor, impatient and hoping that her call would be picked up. Her call was answered by the voice mail machine which made her all the more anxious.

Junko dialed his number two more times, experiencing the same result each time. Finally giving up on calling, she started to text Akashi, asking if he was alright and why he wasn't answering her calls. The send icon was pressed and blue eyes watched the animation of an envelope being sent to a mailbox.

Kohaku nudged his nose against Junko's foot, as if to tell her not to stand in the middle of her room. Without much thought, she complied, sitting on her bed, allowing the mattress and blanket to sink against her weight. Kohaku jumped onto her bed and curled up on top of her lap, snuggling close to her body.

How long Junko sat there was unknown as time passed by without a thought. Eyelids began to droop yet opened frantically every now and then, trying to keep them from falling into the peaceful world of slumber. Slowly and regrettably did her conscious slip into darkness while her hands gripped her phones tightly against her chest while the calico feline slept in between the closed arms and against the rising and falling breast.

Days had passed with no answer from the boy while the girl repeatedly sent text messages and called the former in hopes of hearing his voice. Even if he lied saying that he was fine, Junko would be glad that he would still answer her yet that day never came.

The first day of school came and Junko hurried her morning chores before dashing out of her house in hopes of seeing Akashi. Never before had Junko sense such a worrisome situation before coming from the red head.

When she arrived at the gates of the school, Junko stopped in front of the entrance and panted, eyes darting across the campus in hopes in seeing a familiar boy. There was no luck in her attempts to look for Akashi. Junko closed her eyes, vexed by everything happening to her.

First Tsukiyomi wouldn't talk to her after their last get-together at her house, disappearing from the house without a goodbye and claiming that she had something important to do and now looks as if she was being avoided. Now after hearing that Akashi's parents had divorced, Junko faces another friend not willing to speak to her and ignoring her attempts to keep in contact.

Close to the verge of crying, Junko took in a deep breath and slowly and steadily let it out. She repeated the process before she felt like balling her eyes out in frustration and to calm her fast beating heart. Once feeling that her beating chest returned to a normal pace, Junko opened her eyes and stared at the school in front of her.

Her mind began to go in a daze, not noticing the arriving black car approaching the entrance. Without knowing it, Junko was also being stared at as signs of sorrow and loneliness reflected in her ocean colored eyes.

"It won't do you good if you stand at the front of the school entrance, Kasumi," a familiar male voice spoke to the girl in an indifferent tone.

Junko quickly turned around to see blazing red hair and crimson eyes looking at her.

"Seijuurou!" she cried. Junko hugged him without warning causing him to be in shocked and confused. "Where have you been? Why haven't you answered my calls or my text messages?" she questioned into his chest.

Her embrace was tight leaving no space for Akashi to move or escaper her hold whatsoever. His once shocked face turned into one without expression as he peered down at the girl hugging him.

"Things came up," Akashi answered vaguely.

"Don't give me that, Seijuurou!" Junko reprimanded angrily, not caring about the scene she was making. "Nothing is going to help if you don't talk about it or hold it in. As I depend on you, you also need to depend on me!" Junko looked up into the crimson eyes only to see them blank. Even so, she could sense the pain that was inflicted on him even if he didn't express it.

"First, let me go, Kasumi," Akashi ordered in a dark tone. He hid his eyes beneath his bangs. Junko hesitantly complied but watched him carefully.

There was still fifteen minutes before school began so they stood, facing each other in an unnerving silence. Bystanders of students walked passed by confused and nervous, feeling the tense atmosphere but knowing better than to anger the red head if they had known him for his reputation as a respectable yet demanding boy and the girl who was rumored to be his right hand (wo)man who acted as a spy or assassin accept instead of murdering, she executed any mischief Akashi had thought of. Seeing such a tense scene was rare, rather, never had been seen before hence why no one wanted to cut the wire that will lead to the detonation of impending doom whether it be from the red head or ebony-haired girl.

Akashi lifted his head slowly, his ruby red eyes meeting sapphire blue ones only to express a coldness Junko had never seen before. A shiver traveled down Junko's spine as she stared into the red orbs. She clenched her fists unconsciously, embracing for whatever words were to come out of her friend's mouth.

"I don't want to get you involved with things that you don't have to be a part of, Kasumi, so please, just leave me alone for now." Silence followed and lips tightened in frustration. The dreading silence had only built up unintentional irritation that was ready to lash out at anyone.

"But-"

"Kasumi! Just listen to me! Sometimes you stick your nose in things that you shouldn't be involved in at all!" Akashi yelled.

Junko's eyes widened at the sudden outburst and she felt her heart tremble in fear. The once cold eyes was now burning with pure anger and wretchedness.

Drops of water formed at the corner of Junko's eyes that soon slid down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. Her body shook in fear, guilt, and for once an irritated and hatred kind of feeling towards the red head. Junko quickly turned around and ran inside the school, not wanting to look at the blazing red she had once admired and loved to be around with.

Tsukiyomi stood behind a tree, her back against the trunk, close to the bickering friends. She didn't understand the reason but she had assumed it was because of her that Junko was feeling completely torn apart. Even so, she still wanted to approach the other girl because jealousy of her now-past relationship with the red head had haunted her.

Not wanting to dwell on the subject anymore, she walked towards the bulletin board that held up the names of the students and which class they were assigned to.

Junko walked silently in the hallway to her classroom, after learning that she, Akashi, Tsukiyomi, and Kisaragi were all in separate classes. She wanted to be alone that morning and planned for later on in the day to talk to Tsukiyomi about her problems, saying that she was there and willing to talk to her though she was still perplexed as to why she was being ignored.

She entered the classroom and walked to a desk in the back before sitting down and allowing her head to fall forward, hitting her forehead against the desk. The small 'thump' caused surrounding students to jump. They turned their heads in the direction of the sound and saw a familiar ebony-haired girl, her head on top of the desk and a gloomy aura emanating from her being.

The sight was unsightly and unusual for the girl to be depressed for no one had ever seen Junko in such a state before.

If anyone had learned anything from the past years, a not-so-happy Junko or Akashi meant a gateway to hell and no one had the guts to approach either today with the looks on their faces unless they were told to by the teacher or if they wanted to die early.

That being said, they tried to ignore the cold chill that was spreading throughout the classroom faster than a fastball pitched across the field by the world's best known baseball player. This year was going to be an intimidating year.

Time trudged by slowly. Junko was ready to go home and not deal with any of this stress that was piling up on top of her and it was only the first day back to school. When lunch time arrived, she dashed out of the room, hoping that the one person she hadn't seen yet that day was not holding a grudge against her as well.

Junko sped past people like lightning, slamming the door open and ran towards the blonde male figure who was leisurely leaning against his desk talking to other friends.

"Kisaragi-kun!" she cried, tackling the male causing him to fall over from shock.

"Ouch… You okay, Junko?" Kisaragi asked, flushed that something like this had happened to him, he who thought the other girl didn't have feelings for him. When he looked at  
the girl's face though, his hopeful thoughts diminished when he saw the tears flowing down her face.

She sniffed, and her eyes became round and watery like that it was ridiculous. "Tsu- Tsukiyomi-chan has b-been ignoring me since the last t-time we w-were at my house and S-Seijuurou has been p-pushing me a-away." Junko stuttered as she explained the situation to Kisaragi who was once more, stunned by what was going on.

He patted her head, hoping that it would comfort her. "Do you know why they're acting that way?" the blonde asked, his blood boiling. His feelings of the red head was leaning toward the area where he was considering him more of a jerk, especially to the one person who had always been by his side for most of his life. Tsukiyomi though, caught him by surprise and he couldn't help but feel disappointed in the girl who was probably the closest and most understanding female about Junko's personality.

Kisaragi allowed Junko to calm down and let her sit in his desk. It was somewhat awkward because the rest of the class was staring at them curious and were at the edge of spreading rumors. He let out a sigh, realizing what kind of future troubles he might face.

After breathing in and out, Junko spoke. "W-well, Seijuurou's parents have… separated and he's mad about that so please don't get too angry at him. It's not his fault that he has been acting this way so I understand that he wants some time alone but Tsukiyomi… I don't know what happened. I'm confused and I feel like this is the worst day ever in a long time."

Kisaragi got the hint when Junko said the word 'separated.' They had experienced other classmates who faced the problem of divorce before and it broke them, some not as much as others but it was still a painful and pitiful sight to see. He felt somewhat cooled down from that information but it still wasn't right to just push someone away harshly, especially a person who is your best friend or childhood friend.

"Let's give them a break today and we can start figuring things out tomorrow. You need time to calm down, Junko," Kisaragi explained reasonably.

Tears threatened to come out of the corner of Junko's blue eyes again and Kisaragi panicked. "Wait, don't cry again!" If she had cried, it would have made him feel guilty.

"I never knew I'd see the day that you'd be so calm and thoughtful in this kind of situation, Kisaragi-kun…"

A tick mark formed on Kisaragi's face. "For some reason, that really irritated me." Junko giggled at his remark and his face calmed down once more.

_'At least she seems better,' _Kisaragi thought.

The rest of lunch went on passively, with no other drama occurring. A red head sat in an empty classroom, a shogi board with pieces in play in front of him yet his red, darkened eyes were staring up at the blue sky outside the window. A girl with mid-length black hair stood to the side inside the greenhouse, staring at the laughing and smiling people in front of her.

If anyone had noticed, without the four children together, the school seemed quiet, too quiet might one add.

The next day, Junko had spotted Tsukiyomi walking to who-knows-where in the school. She had called out the other's name only to receive a look of surprise, panic and then a mad dash away from the blue-eyed girl.

Such an action stung Junko's heart and her body slightly trembled. Kisaragi met with her several moments after. After hearing the incident, he suggested that it might be easier to talk to Tsukiyomi first since she seemed more responsive and less… harmful, for lack of better words.

A few days continued with the failing attempts and so Junko decided that it would be better if she just walked up to the other rather than call out to her because it only resulted in Tsukiyomi slipping away among the crowd.

When Junko had successfully executed the plan to meet Tsukiyomi face to face, she was answered with a pained expression and then a glare. Adding to the heartbreak, Tsukiyomi said, "It's better if you just leave me alone, Junko-chan. I only feel hurt when I'm around you." Sapphire eyes widened and her limbs froze in place.

Before Kisaragi could speak with Junko, she had run away, locking herself in a random classroom's closet.

"This isn't going well at all," Kisaragi muttered as he leaned his back against the school's wall one day after classes had ended. He then realized that he had forgotten his recorder that he needed to practice for his music class the next day since he had a test to pass. He re-entered the building and headed toward the music room.

Halfway down the hall, he heard a gentle melody sounding from his appointed destination. He slowly walked to the front of the classroom and leaned his ear against the door.

The sound was broader and stronger in emotion as he heard the music up close. He had identified the instrument in play to be the piano, playing a familiar tune that he was sure he heard of at one point on the radio.

He placed a hand on the doorknob and slowly twisted it, prying the door open by a few centimeters. Kisaragi placed his head against the wall and peeked into the opening through the doorway to see a girl with a single braid of ebony hair, playing the piano.

The figure was more than just familiar because he recognized that particular hairstyle that he had seen for most of the day.

Junko sat at the piano, her fingers silently gliding across the black and white keys, creating the peaceful lullaby-like song.

Kisaragi had definitely heard the song before but he did not know the name to it or who the composer was. He waited, allowing the song to be completely played before he entered the classroom.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his imagination to roam around freely, thinking of the days of argument that he had with Junko or his attempts of humiliating Akashi and even the times when he had fun hanging out with the both of them and Tsukiyomi.

As much as he hated to admit it, Kisaragi missed the presence of both Akashi and Tsukiyomi. Well at least he didn't have to admit it aloud. The day he does admit it though, he swore he would hide away from the public and live on his own in the wild in the mountains.

The last note of the song was prolonged and slowly quieted down until it disappeared. Kisaragi opened the door, making it squeak from the rusted metal of the hinges.

Junko turned around, surprised that someone was listening to her. She had not expected the person to be Kisaragi of all people.

"I didn't know you played the piano. I've only known you to play the flute and the trumpet," Kisaragi commented as he went to the back shelf to retrieve his recorder. Realizing why Kisaragi was initially there for, Junko's shoulders relaxed.

"Well, the senpai-tachi has been teaching me a lot of new instruments. I'm still not that good yet though, especially the piano since a lot of songs need you to have large hands." She stared at her petite hands, dazed and in wonder.

"Try talking to Akashi tomorrow. I'll deal with Tsukiyomi since she really is trying her best to avoid you. Ah, and I meant no offense by that, Junko."

"None taken."

A comfortable silence filled between them. Kisaragi seated himself on top of a desk while Junko still sat at the piano, her fingers gliding across the surface of the keys and the crevices made between them.

"What was that song called?" Kisaragi asked, finally breaking the silence.

"It's _River Flows in You_ by Yiruma. It kind of fits the mood right now doesn't it?"

"More or less. It made me think a lot about the past few years. I can't really believe that we're in the fifth grade now," the blonde admitted.

"I can. I've been watching everyone carefully and it seems that we're all starting to mature little by little though I can't guarantee much with you, Kisaragi-kun."

"Oi!" Junko smiled and stood up.

"Well, that's enough going down memory lane. I feel better now that I spoke with you and played the piano. Tomorrow, I might consider playing the saxophone after school if our next attempt doesn't go out well."

Kisaragi smirked and jumped off the desk then walking to where Junko was. He ruffled her hair and walked to the doorway. "This might become a daily habit, just to say."

Junko sighed yet smiled at the thought of just chatting after school and playing some form of musical instrument. "I kind of hope not because that mean's I'll have to hang out with a guy everyday. I'd like to be around girls too you know."

"Then just make more female friends that like your personality and can handle you."

"That's easier said than done, Kisaragi-kun." They walked out of the classroom together, talking and laughing at and with each other. Little did they know that crimson eyes followed them when they had exited the music room.

Another day came and Junko felt much more relaxed than the days before. She didn't know why but she felt today was going to be a good day. Junko walked straight to class, her eyes no longer having glasses as she had put on her contacts which she had gotten the night before with her parents.

Kisaragi saw Junko contently walking her way to class. He smiled and then headed his way to a class that was neither his nor Junko's but Tsukiyomi's. He opened the door, only to be greeted by squeals and murmurs. Having to be in a class predominantly filled with males had him forget that a majority of the female population still goggled at his being.

He faked a smile and walked up to the closest female to him.

"Excuse me, would you happen to know where Tsukiyomi Hana is?" he asked. The girls' stares hardened as they thought about the prettiest girl in their class. Flames were reflected in some of their eyes and Kisaragi could only pray for the girl's safety among this class being predominantly filled with females. How ironic.

The door opened behind him and Kisaragi turned around to find the person he was looking for.

"Nevermind. Thank you for listening to my request though." He nodded to the girl and walked towards Tsukiyomi who was frozen in place as Kisaragi walked over to her. "We need to talk," he said sternly, his face no longer showing any amusement or happiness.

"… Fine." Tsukiyomi agreed and followed Kisaragi out of the classroom. There was ten minutes left until class starts; enough time to give a little pep talk between a guy and a girl.

Tsukiyomi was about to say something but Kisaragi pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.

"Before you say anything, let me explain something to you. One, you should know that Junko can be emotionally weird and hurt at times. Avoiding her is only making her condition worse which she had before she even knew you were actually trying to avoid her. Why is that? She's worried about Akashi whose parents just got divorced for whatever reason that I will never know of. He's pushing her away right now so she's emotionally unstable. Junko's getting better but she's still depressed that the both of you are not talking to her.

"You've been with her longer than I have and her only close female friend she has so as her best friend, take care of her. It's irritating enough as it is when she's always looking for me hoping that I can help her find a solution to her problems."

Tsukiyomi was stunned. "I never knew you could say such caring things before Kisaragi-kun. You did that all in one breath too," she commented.

"Don't ignore the question, Tsukiyomi. Plus don't say things that I've already been told by Junko. It's quite scary that the both of you can say the same things sometimes."

She narrowed her eyes, unable to really answer at the moment. Kisaragi gave her time to think but time was running out.

Tsukiyomi then looked up and stared into Kisaragi's orbs but then she looked down once more. "I never knew… That's my fault though. I was jealous and heartbroken though on that day at Junko-chan's house. Akashi-kun knew my feeling and confronted me, saying that I should stop liking him because he would never like me back. I knew it was true but it hurts a lot to be said to that when you haven't even confessed to that person."

"I want to punch him more now," Kisaragi interrupted, his face visibly annoyed.

Tsukiyomi smiled at him. "It's fine now. I realized that I don't think I'll be able to handle Akashi-kun as well as Junko-chan and it would be stressful for me to make sure he's okay. The reason why I've been avoiding Junko-chan is because I didn't want to face Akashi-kun. I must have been a coward."

Kisaragi sighed and ruffled Tsukiyomi's ebony hair. "Just apologize and everything should be alright between you two. I think I've had enough of her sulking. All she needs to do now is make sure Akashi's alright and everything should go back to the way it was."

The latter nodded and smiled shyly. "You act as if you aren't all that dependable, Kisaragi-kun, but it seems that you really know how to deal with problems. Thank you."

"Ha? Well, I guess it's okay to be seen like this…" Kisaragi slightly blushed at the compliment.

"We should get going to class. We only have a few minutes left," Tsukiyomi urged.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go." They entered the school and to their respective classrooms, promising each other to meet in Junko's classroom during lunch time.

When Junko had seen Tsukiyomi during lunch period she had squeezed both her friend and Kisaragi in a tight embrace. She had thanked Kisaragi multiple times and wouldn't stop talking to Tsukiyomi nonstop about a lot of recent events out of their dramatic school life.

_'One down, one to go.'_

The end of the school day approached rather quickly for Junko for she was satisfied with one part of her life. Tsukiyomi had apologized to her and they made up with each other. Kisaragi could only wonder how girls could change their emotions oh so quickly.

It was a Friday and was the last day of school for this week so if anything, Junko had two days of break from worrying about Akashi. Kisaragi also had a break from planning how to bring things back together.

Junko walked to the music room, having forgotten her flute inside. As she stepped in front of the door, it opened and had hit her square in the face.

"Itta!" She fell backwards and landed on her bottom. Junko rubbed her nose and forehead as it stung with pain. "That's going to leave a bump," she muttered to herself. When her hand left her face, she felt something hard and cold touch her forehead.

Her eyes sapphire eyes met ruby ones and she felt as if her limbs became paralyzed.

"Are you okay, Kasumi?" Akashi asked with a concerned look on his face.

Junko opened and closed her mouth, unable to say anything despite wanting to. Akashi knew why she was acting the way she was. He felt guilty and to see such a painful and solemn expression on Junko's face made his guilt even worse. It was a mistake he vowed he would never make again especially to the person who had supported him more than any family member he had ever known had done.

He took the ice pack off Junko's forehead and hugged her, making her all the more stunned. "I apologize for treating you horribly for the past few days, Kasumi. I was confused and didn't know what to do for the first time in my life. It caused you to be hurt. I'm not willing to make another mistake like this again with whatever I do. I promise that if I do repeat a mistake, I will punish myself for it."

There was a pause, a silence and no response back for several seconds. Akashi was about to let go of the girl but it caught him by surprise when she had hugged him back.

They had let go and soon, Junko's eyes became watery and at the verge of another scene of waterworks. The second Junko was about to release her tears, Akashi had pinched her cheeks before she could do so.

"Thad hwurts!" Junko whined as her cheeks were being pulled.

"If I make you cry, that accounts as a mistake, even if it's out of happiness." Akashi released the reddened cheeks and placed the ice pack on one side.

Junko could only smile and giggle at this. "You're really weird Akashi, a good weird."

"Where have I heard that before? Anyway, I came in here to bring your flute to you. You forgot it today though I assume you were on your way here to retrieve it seeing how you were in front of the music room when I opened the door and it hit you in the face."

"That's exactly why I was here though I didn't expect you to be here. How did you know I left it here anyway, Akashi?" Junko tilted her head to the side, curious.

Akashi smirked. "Are you really going to question me on that?"

"Yes I am. How long have you been watching me, Seijuurou?"

"Long enough to know your state of mind."

"That's just creepy."

"It's not as creepy as staring at people and learning about them by just looking at everything about them."

"Eh? You know it's an uncontrollable habit and that what you do can be controlled."

"If you trained yourself hard enough, you'd be able to control it."

As the two bickered like a couple, Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi peeked from the corner of the hallway, sighing in relief that the two started to act normally again.

"It's strange how he was really cold earlier but when he meets Junko, his mood lightens up," Kisaragi commented, exasperated by the red head's change in personality.

"I don't know why I liked him in the first place anymore. It's like there's two different people in one person," Tsukiyomi added.

"What's even more terrifying is that he knew why we came to go look for him and what we wanted for him to do. It's as if that guy isn't a fifth grader at all."

"Actually, Junko-chan told me that her parents told her that his father told them that Akashi-kun was taking cram school on the weekends for him to be more intelligent so that he can take over his father's business when he grows older."

"Tch. I guess the money and studying he's being given really makes him higher than us in a sense."

"We shouldn't let it get to us. Junko-chan's happy and everything should be the way it once was. The fact that she was on the verge of tears again was quite amusing. I can strangely imagine her tears shooting out of her eyes like a fountain."

"Now that's just odd… Then again, if it's her air-headed self crying like that, it's quite possible."

* * *

_A/N: Yo! Yo! Yo! Here's the next chapter of Hold Me Close! XD_

_ I don't know where I was really going with this chapter but I hope it turned out all right. Umm… I don't have much for the author's note so I'll move on to promoting other stories ;D_

_First off, please come take a look at the KnB Author's Forum! We're having a poll right now and we need it to decide an even we're going to have next week if possible. Not only that, join in on our random, slightly insane, fun discussions and debates. We also help each other being able to characterize canon characters of KnB to be very canon while we also help each other create OC characters and we give ideas for possible future fics._

_Also, check out Infinite Skye's Scarlet which is about an awkward girl who stalks Akashi but denies it and is somewhat hypocritical, To Our Untold Future (a time travel kind of fic), and many of her other stories (especially the one she wrote recently for Aokuro day! It's amazing and angsty and full of bromance!) though I'm pretty sure the majority of my readers know about her. _

_Please also look at Rasielis' Glean which is about a tsundere with our very well-known Oha Asa addict and tsundere, Midorima! It's so cute to see two tsuns interact with each other and we get to see Midorima's little sister! She also has a few other OC fics that I recommend reading if you want a good OC fic that aren't Mary Sues._

_Now I shall shamelessly advertise my one shot that I have uploaded recently called Once Upon a Dream which is a one-shot about Seirin's win against Rakuzan after the Winter Cup where we look at Kuro-chan's point of view of what his reminiscing and painful memories are and how he pushes the pain away and learns from his mistakes through a dream. Beware of spelling and grammatical errors as well as missing words since I haven't edited yet._

_Thank you for reading! Please drop a review, favorite, and/or follow if you haven't done so already!_


	9. Chapter 8: Amusing Valentines

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kuroko no Basuke franchise. If the title, storyline, and/or the original characters are similar to or the same as other stories, it is completely coincidental. If not than the OCs belong to me._

_A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much everyone! This is probably one of my most responsive chapters ever since the start of this story! It makes me extremely happy to gain a lot of reviews. For those who don't really review, I still give you my thanks for taking your time to read Hold Me Close._

_I just came back from my vacation at Hawaii and boy was it fun. I can't say that I like the hike at Koko crater though. My fear of heights took over me more times than I can remember on two different hikes that same day at that crater and Diamondhead Crater. Both had breathtaking views but I couldn't fully enjoy it because of my fear of heights. The strong wind also scared me so… _

_To answer some reviews that I can't answer in any other way:_

_cookieman (guest): It probably would have made more sense if I had used their first names however I usually identify my characters with last names unless I'm not informed otherwise plus I want to keep it consistent if I just used all last names for all my characters instead of just choosing a select few to use their first names on. I know everyone's first names however because I don't hear it as often, I just don't use them. I'm not the only one who does this though… well, it just depend on the person really but this is just me. _

_That being said, I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter!_

* * *

"Keep on moving! How can you be tired yet?" yelled a preteen as he dribbled an orange ball up to the three point line and positioned himself to shoot. A taller boy knocked the ball out of the other's grip, falling into the grasp of a red head.

Akashi dribbled and passed several of his opponents until he was close to the net where he threw the ball. It sailed through the sky and swished through the hoop much to others' chagrin. The fact that Akashi was one of the youngest vice-captains on the team with more than exceptional basketball skills had made the upperclassmen feel shame.

Then again, Akashi was associated with the basketball team and had always played with basketball members during lunch break since he was a first grader even though he wasn't officially a part of them.

By the end of practice after they had lightly stretched like they would do everyday to keep their bodies from becoming stiff or achy. It was after practice though when minor chaos would ensue, or rather a group of females and a group of males surrounding two certain individuals.

Earlier that year when school had first started, Akashi had tried out for the basketball club while Junko signed up as a manager and also tried out for archery while still being a part of the music club. Tsukiyomi, who had joined the choir, worried that Junko was eating more than she could chew while Kisaragi, who was a part of the tennis team, said she was tough and had a good sense in time despite how much of an airhead she was when she had realized that work she had put on her plate two days after she signed up.

Fans who had become managers or water girls crowded against Akashi, offering him a towel, a water bottle, or both. He stared at them nonchalantly for a few seconds, finding the scene ridiculous. The redhead sighed and intentionally coughed to gain the girls' attention.

They immediately quieted down and stared with anticipating eyes on the redhead. "Please make room. It is quite bothersome that I can't move and go anywhere if I am surrounded. I appreciate your support but please consider personal space." By the end of his sentence, the females parted as if they were the Red Sea, creating a path to walk out of the blob of girls. He nodded in thanks causing some to swoon and faint.

Junko had her own problems with several members of the basketball team surrounding her, wanting her to give them a towel and a water bottle. After signing up as a manager for the basketball team and being naively nice to everyone by handing out towels and water bottles to everyone with a bright and innocent smile, she had become popular within the team quite quickly.

"Hand one over here Junko-chan!" one called out to the girl.

"I'd like it if you could hand one to me first!"

These types of things began to become a regular occurrence to the blue eyed girl after a week and a half of being confused and stressed out from being surrounded which she wasn't used to. It was true she had gained some attention from the male population before she became a manager but now she was like a flower attracting a swarm of bees. If anything, Junko learned that the male population was much more aggressive and intimidating the female population because there were several occurrences where they had actually fought over her.

"One at a time everyone. I don't think I'll have enough for everyone today so please go to the other managers to get your towels and drinks," Junko explained, trying to calm down the group of boys. Despite how calm her demeanor looked like right now, she was a volcano ready to explode any second.

Akashi stood to the side and watched amusingly at the sight before him. Not once had he seen Junko lose her cool nor has anyone else so he decided to let the steam let out today and watch the show before him.

When the boys began shoving and pushing more than the usual, she must have snapped because you couldn't hear her voice anymore trying to calm them down. That could be one of two options: the first being her voice was drowned out by the commands of the crowd or Junko herself fell silent. Akashi took it as the latter because seconds after her silence took place, so did the crowd or at least part of it anyway.

"Will everyone just shut up!"

Eyes widened and bodies froze in place. The boys slowly backed away from the center of their attention, wary that Junko was very, very pissed off.

"How immature can you guys get? Seriously! Every freakin' time after practice since the beginning of the school year up until today, you guys have been crowding around me and freakin' trying to get my attention by making me do things for you! Have you guys ever thought of actually trying to flatter me and helping me out rather than making me do all the work and making me suffer from claustrophobia? I swear these groups of guys are completely naïve on how to treat a girl! Seijuurou and Kisaragi do so much better than this! Just die for all I care!"

Junko was about to storm off but a touch of cold plastic had hit her face. She turned her head to see Akashi holding a water bottle to her face with the most attentive and amused eyes she had ever seen.

Junko huffed and took the bottle from the red head and handed him his own water bottle and towel.

"That was completely unattractive, Kasumi," Akashi commented though he smiled while saying this. He wiped his face with the towel and drank from the water bottle.

Female eyes glared at Junko but she ignored them, having bigger issues to worry about. The rest of the basketball team dispersed whispering and murmuring about the event.

"As if I care. Honestly, our classmates and senpai can be very bothersome."

"Looks like your old speech pattern has come back."

"Well, you cooled me down, Seijuurou. Thank you for doing that by the way. I'm pretty sure I would've made them do extra laps for just bothering me." Junko drank out of her own water bottle with some of the liquid dripping down her chin. Once she finished taking a long sip, she used her wrist to wipe away the water on her chin.

"Looks like my ways have been rubbing off on you." Akashi watched the girl lightly throwing the water bottle between her hands. Junko then tossed it up in the air and caught it with her right hand and repeated the process a few times.

"That's because they are the most effective and shorter ways to do it otherwise I have my own methods but they do take some time." Her eyes were focused on the water bottle and not the gym which was slowly being emptied out.

"I have a pretty good idea of what you have in mind but I still don't really know them yet, do I?" Akashi asked, his crimson eyes staring curiously at the girl next to him.

"I guess not. You'll learn about them one day, Seijuurou. You probably wouldn't use them anyway." Junko looked up and saw most of the people had left to take showers or do other chores managers should do including her. They more than likely left her alone so that she wouldn't snap at them either.

"If that is the case then I can wait. It's not like you're going anywhere, right?" Akashi began to walk towards the showers, his hands in his pockets.

"Not that I know of," Junko answered, following behind Akashi.

"Now I have another question to ask."

"Ask away, Seijuurou. It's not like I have a choice to deny it anyway if you're requesting something."

"Actually, you do in this one." Junko looked at the redhead surprised. Did she really have a choice this time?

"This weekend is Valentine's Day and there's an amusement park being held. My father's company is sponsoring the amusement park but he wants eyes to see if it is worth sponsoring so he asked me if I could bring someone along to help me take a look at the amusement park. I can't exactly bring Kisaragi or Tsukiyomi along because we aren't that close to begin with. So do you mind coming? If not I can always take Gregory-san along. He's supposed to watch us anyway."

Akashi's eyes narrowed at the last sentence. Junko cringed when she looked at him but kept quiet. It had been a while since they had last talked about this subject and Junko was sure Akashi didn't want to talk about right then and there where people could hear.

"I don't see why not. I have to ask my parents first though but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind." There was no answer to that, rather Akashi stared at the girl with an entertained look in his eyes. This was of course, noticed by Junko.

"What?" she asked, irritated at being stared at.

Akashi smiled at her though it only confused Junko even more. "You truly are dense, aren't you, Kasumi?"

"What does that mean?" Junko huffed, disliking how the redhead was keeping information from her.

"It's nothing important. I'd rather you not say this to anyone either. It'd be troublesome if anyone found out."

"I figured out that much." They stopped in front of the boys changing rooms where Akashi ruffled Junko's hair and where she slightly hissed at him though he brushed it off.

"I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, I'll see you later." Junko nodded in return to their farewell and went their separate ways.

* * *

"I'm home!" Junko called out at the entrance of her home. Kohaku appeared from the hallway and playfully pounced at Junko's feet before he started to rub his fur against her legs.

"Welcome home!" answered Junko's mother from the kitchen. "How was school today?" she asked when Junko appeared in in front of her and gave her a hug.

"Hectic," came Junko's single-word reply. Temaki chuckled.

"Boys getting to you a lot this year?" Temaki was preparing dinner and was in the process of slicing carrots to boil.

"You have no idea Mommy. Just because Valentine's Day is coming up and they think I'd like them by having me give all of them a towel and water. Shouldn't it be them getting their own water and towel instead of making me work?"

"Woah, what's wrong with boys in this generation?"

"Who knows? Seijuurou and Kisaragi-kun are the only ones who have enough sense to give proper respect that girls need."

"That's good then." Junko nodded and stared at the food her mother was cooking then realizing what she had to do.

"That's right, Mommy. Seijuurou asked me if I could go with him to the amusement park on Valentine's Day because Akashi jii-san wants to see if it's worth sponsoring since he is sponsoring the event," Junko explained.

Junko then suddenly felt her body being lifted up off the ground. She turned her head to see her father carrying her from behind.

"Ah, I remember Yuudai saying something like that today to me at work. It would be a waste of funds if we just donated for something that wasn't all too popular. Anyway, how was your day at school, Sumi-chan?"

"It was okay Daddy. Wait?.. Akashi jii-san and Daddy work together?" Junko stared at her father with surprise.

"Eh? You didn't know Sumi-chan?" Hiroto asked. Temaki then had hit the back of her husband's head.

"You never explained anything to her, dear. Of course she wouldn't know."

"Seriously? Well then, it's time for Sumi-chan to learn about my relationship with Yuudai. We knew each other since college and he was a year older than me so we were here in Japan when it happened. Now he's my boss and closest friend since we've moved here!" he explained cheerfully.

Junko on the other hand was completely shocked.

"Wait…? What? Akashi jii-san… Daddy… Boss… Why didn't you tell me this Daddy? I feel like an idiot for not knowing, especially since probably knowing that Akashi already knew before I did!"

"Hehe, I didn't mean too, Sumi-chan. I guess the idea slipped my mind when we moved back here to Japan and I never found a reason why to tell you sooner."

"… That's bad to be that much of an airhead Daddy," Junko reprimanded her father.

"Well, I'm like that for things that aren't too important so it's fine. By the way, are you going to get me any chocolate for Valentine's Day, Sumi-chan?" her father asked, a twinkling look in his eyes.

Junko stared at him, confused why he was so excited. "I never thought about it. Mommy's usually the one who buys the chocolate and I give it to Daddy saying that the chocolates are from me and Mommy," Junko answered quite bluntly. Hiroto couldn't help but fall dramatically onto his hands and knees.

"Oh, honey…" Temaki sighed and went back to prepare dinner. She allowed her daughter to poke her father while he muttered something about not being loved enough by his family.

* * *

The next several days of school for Junko ended up with her glaring at the males that approached her unless it was the captain or Akashi. She wanted to make it clear that she wanted her personal space for the next few days and several females were relieved.

If the females in the room weren't after Akashi, they were more than likely following someone else in the male population of basketball players.

The day before Valentine's Day, the last day of school for that week, chocolates were sent the most popular males in the school and other small crushes.

Junko had stared in awe and then laughed at the mountain of chocolates on Akashi's desk that he was not willing to take off by himself. The amount of chocolate with Akashi could rival with that of Kisaragi's and they had Junko and Tsukiyomi help them move the chocolate into boxes (which the boys disposed of by burning it later that day when they arrived home and which Junko discovered several days later that she laughed even more and began to feel stomach cramp).

"Ah, what a day! I feel tired from looking at all those chocolates. Yours especially Seijuurou," Junko said nonchalantly as she stretched her arms above her head from a long day at school and of practice. "I can't believe that they just left them on your desk instead of telling you directly. That's a bit cowardly if you ask me."

"A bit is an understatement. They don't seem to have any confidence or dignity. I like girls who have dignity," Akashi claimed. He placed on his regular shoes before tapping them to make sure they fit then walked with Junko out of the school building.

"Really? Well, you can't be anymore picky than that or else you won't find someone to marry in the future." Junko slightly ran in front of Akashi then spun around on her heel, extending her arms out a bit while holding the handle of her bag with the longer strap also chasing after her hand. She then hopped and landed on both feet and continued walking next to her childhood friend as if she didn't do anything weird at all.

"As if you are the one to talk. You've been reprimanding everyone in the basketball club about how they should where their uniforms and how they should behave as gentlemen while eavesdropping on their conversations then adding in your input of what you like and don't like about what they are talking about or who you side with if they are bickering with each other. Doesn't that seem a bit picky?"

Junko pouted at this. "I do that to everyone! It's not like I have any particular interest in anyone. If I did it to a particular person then that would mean I would like that person and be picky on that person's habits. Ah, whatever though I would prefer it if you had a little more tack, Seijuurou."

"If it's you, I don't always need to use tack," Akashi replied casually. Junko could only smile at his answer.

"That's true. Now that I think about it, when are we going to meet tomorrow?" the blue eyed girl asked.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight. It opens at eight-thirty so we shouldn't be late," Akashi answered.

She chuckled at how early Akashi wanted to arrive. "Sounds like you want to go in and out as quickly as possible."

"It's a hassle to deal with traffic and a very large amount of people. I have better things to do than go to an amusement park however because it is my father's request, I have no power to deny him."

Junko hummed in response. "Well, I'll just enjoy what I can. I'm quite excited since this is my first time at an amusement park. Let's go on the Ferris Wheel last because it's like a cool off from intense practice or in our case, a lot of fast and exciting rides."

Akashi gave a small smile of his own as an agreement to her idea. "That does sound like a pleasant idea."

The two parted ways as the redhead entered the car Gregory drove to pick him up while Junko walked in the opposite direction to her own humble abode, giving ceremony to their farewell with a small nod and a wave of goodbye.

As Junko walked home, she noticed the sky darkening quickly. Already was the sun at the verge of submerging itself below the horizon. The sky was black yet with a tint of dark blue and only a few twinkling dots connected to that sky. She figured that she should hurry home seeing how night approached quickly signaling the mysteries and dangers of the dark emerging from the shadows at this hour.

Lamp posts flickered on before she had arrived home where she let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She couldn't help but feel scared when she was alone on her way home. After all she was a fifth grader.

When she opened the door to her home, she was greeted by Kohaku who sat at the entrance of the house like he did every day. The calico cat waved his tail eagerly as he looked upon his owner with anticipating eyes of ruby and gold. Junko chuckled the feline's head turned, watching her every move.

"Just wait a bit, Kohaku. I'll get your dinner ready in a bit." Junko patted Kohaku's head before heading towards the kitchen and greeted with an "I'm home!" which was then answered by a "Welcome back!" by her mother that was home early from work. With that, she had gotten her chores down including preparing and serving Kohaku's food as well as her own family's dinner, finished her homework and went to sleep early to be able to wake up for the next day on time.

* * *

Junko's room was dark when she woke up. The sun had yet to rise high in the sky however the birds chirped eagerly as they were wide awake for the new day.

If the fifth grader had to regret anything she did that morning, it was to let her mom pick out her outfit for that day. It wasn't that Junko had a bad sense in fashion, it was just that whatever she wore always contained pants or was a bit… boyish and non-ladylike as her mom would describe it. She wore a white blouse with a pink sweater over it which she left unbutton (despite her mom's argument that it would look cuter if she had button it up) and a pair of dark skinny jeans.

Junko sighed as she stepped out of her house from a delicious breakfast of waffles, eggs, and a glass of milk (in hopes of making herself taller, even by a little bit). It was more of a hectic morning as she thought of how Kohaku strangely kept on walking on her stomach in multiple circles, making her feel a bit nauseous and her mother wanting to dress her up. It was even odder when she had remembered that car accident all those years ago. She couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine at the thought. A bad feeling was nagging at the back of her mind but Junko shrugged it off.

She then looked up to see the black sleek car of the Akashi household. A smile crawled onto her face as she quickly walked to the car where Gregory was now holding the door open for her. She thanked the butler and sat next to Akashi who was, surprisingly, asleep as he sat on the middle seat of the car, his arms folded.

He lightly snored and he looked defenseless as he slept which was probably the first time Junko had ever saw Akashi asleep. A light bulb flashed in Junko's mind before she began to maliciously smile at the sleeping redhead.

"Blackmail for whenever I need it," Junko whispered in a sing-song tone as she took out her phone at centered the screen at Akashi's face. She clicked a button on her phone and heard a click and saw a flash before she put her phone in her pocket.

Then there was a silence of her contemplating her actions. "If he figures out, which he might, I could die… but this is probably a once in a lifetime chance so I might as well take it! … I just have to be silent about it," Junko mumbled to herself as she continued to stare at Akashi's face as the car drove off.

After about ten minutes into the ride, Akashi's head began to stir. When the car went over something that caused the vehicle to hop a little, the redhead's eyes fluttered open. He turned his head to see Junko staring at him intently.

"Good morning sleepy head," Junko greeted with a smile. "Are you awake now?"

"Should I consider this a 'good morning' when I know you have been watching me sleeping for who knows how long?" Akashi asked, already feeling that Junko had done something mischievous.

"Is that how you greet your friend who did her best not to wake you up?" she answered with her own question. "Though if you really want me to answer that, then I would think it would at least be considered an 'okay morning'. All I've done was watch you sleep. I promise you, you do not have any weird sleeping habits." Junko traced an 'x' over her heart with her finger. What she said was also true, she had watched him sleep that entire time however she knew it was only a part of the truth.

Akashi eyed her suspiciously however he had no way of getting the truth out of her… yet. He kept quiet and began to form ideas of how to make Junko spit out the truth. She could feel the scheming aura from Akashi and she slightly shivered from the feeling. Junko shrugged it off, not wanting to dwell on her life ending early.

They had arrived at the amusement park five minutes after it had opened which had slightly irked Akashi though he could blame no one but the traffic that morning. People were still on their way to work after all, even if it was Valentine's Day.

Once they entered through the gates, Junko stood in awe by the amount of people that were there. This became the conclusion for Junko that amusement parks were like flowers attracting the hundreds of insects (people) within the vicinity.

"One look at this place and you would already think that this place would be very popular and worth your while," Junko said as she tried to look at the booths and other attractions around them.

"This is only the start of the amusement park though. We have yet to see if anyone is dissatisfied with the place," Akashi retorted. He was answered by an absentminded nod from Junko who was mesmerized by the colorful metals spinning around at a lightning fast pace, the screams of those riding on the roller coaster, and the constant talking of the people around them.

"Let's go!" Junko exclaimed. She grabbed Akashi's risk and ran into the crowd, disappearing from sight.

"Seijuurou-dono, Kasumi-dono, are you ready too-" Gregory was cut off when he didn't see the two children anywhere. He looked left and right, straight ahead and behind him but did not see anyone. It was when he looked down at his feet did he realized where he realized the children had gone. There written right in front of him was 'We'll be going first, Gregory-san! Just enjoy yourself while you're here – Junko Kasumi.'

"Where did Kasumi-dono get the chalk to write that down?" Gregory mumbled to himself as he looked at the message in front of him.

* * *

"Where are we going, Kasumi?" Akashi asked, a bit out of breath as Junko pulled him deeper into the amusement park.

"WE are going to have fun!" Junko answered excitedly as she stopped in a clearing, stilling holding onto Akashi's wrist.

"And would you happen to know where we are going for us to do that?" Akashi panted slightly. He then glared at Junko, not appreciating her act of recklessness of just pulling him into a sea of people.

"Of course! I'm not that reckless to go somewhere without knowing where I'm even going. I have the map right here." Junko pulled out the map of the layout of the amusement park. "The first thing I did when we first got in was looked for the map. Now we know where we're going~"

"And you do realize that we left Gregory-san behind us, correct?"

Silence.

"Oopsies… I forgot about that part." The blue eyed girl smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of her head. Akashi knew it was a lie though right when she slightly twitched her eye.

"You have another reason why you pulled me out of his sight," Akashi stated. "Don't act like you don't, Kasumi."

Junko's eyes lightly widened but then they became serious and a different kind of smile formed on her face. It was a smile of knowing what was going on when others didn't.

"Looks like I'm caught red handed," Junko admitted.

"As well as when you lied to me in the car when you said you only just watched me sleep," Akashi added. A sweatdrop formed on the girl's face but decided to put off that problem the best she could.

"I would think you would know by now why I pulled you out, Seijuurou. If you don't then allow me to enlighten you with the fact that I know you don't like to be watched by someone who is sent like your babysitter. That being said, I thought it would be fun to just escape all that for one day and just enjoy ourselves rather than think of our visit here as business. What do you think?"

"How will you explain this to Gregory-san?" His eyes narrowed, not wanting to hurt the feelings of the man in charge of him.

"I already did… with chalk." Junko grinned at the answer she gave Akashi only to make him confused even more.

"What?" Junko took out a piece of chalk out of her purse and showed it to Akashi. "Where did you get this?"

"You know how our art class last year had a lot of broken pieces of chalk?" Junko asked. Akashi nodded, listening to her explanation. "Well, I found a piece laying in one of the halls – I don't remember which one – and so I held onto it since. Who knew it would come in handy, right?"

"What I don't understand is why you even bother in picking it up in the first place." Akashi sighed as he looked at Junko, not understanding her random interests in minor things.

"That's an unneeded and forgotten factor. I'm pretty sure it was just because it was sitting alone on the floor and no one bothered to pick it up but who knows. Now come on! We need to get going!" She tugged on his hand, showing that she was truly impatient and wanted to see one of the attractions.

"Where to first then?" he asked. Akashi himself did not plan where to go at the amusement park, somewhat surprising Junko but she let the idea go.

"The haunted house then! I've always wanted to go there." Akashi agreed and allowed Junko to drag him to the four story high building that was decorated with spider webs, a fog, fake rotted wood, and flashing windows.

Electronic recordings of ghosts howling and the wind whispering echoed across the small vicinity. Junko beamed as she looked at the haunted house in front of her. She was definitely excited and didn't fear the supposedly fearful building in front of her like most children her age were (not including Akashi just so you know). Akashi only looked at her weirdly because her excitement showed a bit too much with how her eyes sparkled and her mouth was agape in the form of a smile. He took several steps back, not wanting to, for that moment, look like he knew her.

When they entered the haunted house, they had met several walking skeletons, projections of ghosts, actual people dressed up as zombies and the list goes on. Junko at one point was touched on the shoulder by one of the employees who was dressed up in a banshee costume. Instead of screaming like most people though, she began to ask the actual person underneath the costume questions about the development of the house and such. Akashi had to drag Junko out so that they could continue going around the amusement park.

They then went on several water rides, some getting them soaked to the bone and they had to buy towels to dry themselves off, a train ride which toured the perimeter of the amusement park, a pendulum ride, a merry-go-round (due to Junko's constant begging of wanting to go on one otherwise Akashi wouldn't have gone on at all), and other fast rides that in the end made Junko terribly dizzy and uncoordinated that she had to sit down for ten minutes after each ride to regain her balance.

It was when the two made it to the game stalls did the competition begin. Akashi was pulled into Junko's taunting challenges of playing the different stall games. They had played shooting games with rifles, tossing balls into baskets, shooting darts to pop balloons, tossing rings around electronically operated turntables with forty-some glass bottles standing on top of it, and last but not least, shooting basketballs into hoops with different points. Unfortunately Junko lost all of them, more soon the ones where they had to toss or throw something onto specified targets, being the majority of the games.

Junko's left eye twitched as she stared at the game stalls that she played. "I seriously can't beat you at anything, can I?"

"Have I ever lost before? Because I always win, I am always right," Akashi said smugly.

Junko flashed a glare at Akashi but sighed. There was no point in arguing with the redhead. She then took out her phone and flipped open the screen. "Wow, we've been here for four hours already? There goes the plan for just running in and out."

"Do you want to leave that badly?" Akashi asked.

"No but I thought you wanted to leave here as early as possible," Junko answered.

Akashi contemplated what he had said before. "I guess I'll have to take my words back then. So far, it has been a pretty enjoyable day," he admitted with a nod.

"Is that so… Even though you say that, you barely show any signs of contempt when we go on any of the rides… Please don't say anything about the game stalls." The ebony-haired girl stared at Akashi questionably, wondering if he really did enjoy it but the satisfied smile on his face told her otherwise.

"I'm pretty sure you can tell what I'm thinking by now. Where should we go next?" Akashi took out the map which he now held from his pocket.

Junko allowed Akashi to look at the map as she took a chance to get one final look at the game stalls. Her eyes were then attracted to a flash of green and orange to her left. When her cerulean orbs landed on a green haired boy with black rimmed glasses, she looked at him in awe. He was at the basketball game… err… more like he was standing at least five meters away from the basket.

The fingers of his left fingers were taped but then he unwrapped the bandages and dribbled the ball. He then held the basketball firmly in his hands before he shot the ball into a ridiculously high arc though it swished into the net perfectly.

"What the… He's as ridiculous as Seijuurou except in a different way," she muttered as she watched him shoot another ball into the basket.

"My shots never miss because I follow Oha Asa's horoscopes everyday and always have my lucky item in hand," the green headed boy claimed all of a sudden. Junko couldn't help but stare at him wondrously with the obsessive claim. Anyone who heard him could already tell that he was a horoscope addict.

"Well, since it's lunch time, why don't we go ahead to the food court and eat first," Akashi said, bring Junko's attention back to him. He saw her baffled and wondered what she saw. "Are you okay, Kasumi?"

"Ah, yeah, well, I'm fine. I just saw and heard something really weird but I don't think it's that important anyway. The food courts right? Let's go." She pulled Akashi's wrist to the direction of where the food courts were only to find herself amazed and confused once more.

"There are way too much people here…" Junko mumbled as she saw the fifty mile lines of people for each food stall. What caught her attention even more were the five tall (and I mean tall) people with purple hair. Five were male and one was female but the youngest, who was noticeably several centimeters shorter than his brothers and sister caught Junko's eye the most. He was even more ridiculous than the boy with the green hair!

"How many sweets is he going to eat?" Junko asked as she watched the purple haired siblings walk away from the crowded food court.

"We should go later where there are less people then," Akashi said, apparently not listening to her last question.

Junko nodded and the two walked away ever so slowly from the rushing crowd to the booths of food.

"Then let's go the roller coaster next," Junko suggested eagerly as she looked up at the mountain-high ride. "We should be tall enough to go on it."

"Or you should go on the Love Cave Ride where couples go through a romantic river ride through this romantic cave? How about you two lovebirds go on it?" a clown-like voice said behind them. There was a man wearing clown make up and was pointing to the ride he was advertising. The boats had heart-shaped seats and pink cushions with the cave itself being pink.

"Lovebirds?"

"Love Cave Ride?"

"Yep! The both of you are on a date, right? Why don't you strengthen your relationship this way?" Akashi and Junko stared at the man as if he were crazy.

Junko then had burst out laughing. "What are you talking about? We aren't dating at all!"

"It's rude to laugh like that, Kasumi," Akashi reprimanded the girl who was now trying to keep herself from laughing and hurting her stomach even more. "I apologize but we are just here on business for my father nor are we dating. We are just friends. If you excuse us, we shall take our leave."

Akashi then grabbed the collar of Junko's shirt and dragged her to the roller coaster, leaving the clown speechless.

"Sorry about that, Seijuurou. It just made me laugh, you know? Oh, gosh, I'm going to remember that one for a while," Junko said as she wiped away drops of water forming at the corner of her eyes.

"Let's try to avoid those kinds of things in the future then. I can't have you bursting into laughter each time we are seen together like this." Akashi sighed again for the umpteenth time that day. Junko nodded in agreement before they both headed out to the line of the roller coaster.

It didn't take long for them to get their heights checked and get seated into the roller coaster. Before Junko knew it, she found the vehicle she was in slowly starting to lunge forward. It began to incline higher and higher and Junko felt gravity pull her body downwards.

The sound of the continuous metal rolling them upward began to sound familiar to her ears and again that bad feeling from that morning began to nag at her. It made her nervous. She unconsciously began to sweat and before they even went downhill, she lightly held onto Akashi's wrist.

The contact was not left unnoticed. Akashi was about to ask her what was wrong but before he could, they were plunged into a fast and loud ride.

Screams and the sound of crashing metal filled Junko's mind. She squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered that faint, turning into loud roaring sound of an engine as it crashed directly into her aunt's and uncle's SUV. She remembered the piercing pain of metal stabbing her and the lifeless bodies that sat at both sides of her. She remembered the jolt of electricity, making her faint and unconscious for the next few days.

The roller coaster came to a halt though Junko didn't realize it. She was clutching onto Akashi's wrist with a strength he never knew she had. Her body was sweating profusely and her breathing came into large pants. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her skin was pale as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Kasumi…" Akashi gently shook Junko's body but she didn't respond. "Kasumi," Akashi called in a more commanding voice, hoping to get her attention. Again, she didn't respond. "Kasumi!" he said louder. Junko's eyes popped open and she turned her head to face Akashi. "The rides over. Come, you need to rest."

Junko had immediately stood up only to stumble and almost fall if Akashi had caught her and held her close to him. She held onto his arm and leaned against him for support as they walked out of the ride and sat on a bench.

She buried her head into his chest. Her breathing still hadn't calmed but her sweat didn't come anymore. Akashi took out a handkerchief and wiped away the remaining sweat on Junko's face and made her look up at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. There was no doubt that he was concerned and no doubt that his hidden feeling of her hiding something dark was true.

Junko reluctantly shook her head in response.

"What happened?" Akashi waited patiently for an answer hoping for Junko to tell him one, even if it was a lie. He wanted to know if she was truly okay. There was no answer for a long while. Akashi was going to ask again but Junko began to say something he didn't expect.

"I'm sorry…"

"Kasumi, what are you-"

"I'm sorry, Seijuurou." Another paused filled between them before she continued. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner but I had forgotten. I had forgotten that my sisters had died from the time I was sick that one time last year until today."

To say Akashi was surprised was an understatement. For once, he did not know something about his childhood friend that he would have thought he should have known.

"Before… I moved to Japan, when I lived in America, I was in a car accident with my two younger sisters, Sumomi and Nadeshiko, and my aunt and uncle. My parents were in Japan looking for a house at that time before we moved." Junko took in an intake of air and let it out slowly before she continued.

"We were on our way to something like an amusement park. It was called a county fair and we were going to go horseback riding, go on a Ferris wheel, play carnival games and betting on pig races… Hehe, that last one sounded weird didn't it." Akashi heard the chuckle but he found it humorless in the voice Junko used.

"It did sound weird," he admitted hoping that it would slightly encourage her to continue.

"A drunk driver had hit my uncle's SUV and it pushed us into a tree on the side of the road. We crashed. I remember hearing the sound of the speeding engine of the drunken man and the metal crashing against each other the explosions of cars hitting each other. Sumomi died from a piece of metal stabbing her heart and Nadeshiko died from electricity running through her body.

"My uncle, aunt, and I survived the electricity though some of their bones were crushed and broken while one of my legs was stabbed and I hit my forehead causing the blood to blind my eyes for just that moment. The electricity also ran through my body… That's what caused my eyes to turn blue." This had caught Akashi's attention.

"It's really weird because who knew that electricity could do that. Well, I use to have brown eyes but somehow, it turned off and on some of my genes so now my eyes are blue…

"After being discharged and the funeral, we moved to Japan and then my story restarted when I first saw you outside of school before classes started. My sister's deaths hadn't truly hit me until last year when I realized that they wouldn't be able to see what I saw now. Because of those thoughts, I was careless and I got myself sick, making you worry about me but now, I think I made you worry more…" Junko slowly loosened her hold of Akashi's shirt and allowed her head to just rest on his shoulder. "You saw their picture once when you came over one time," Junko added. "You asked who they were and I just said that they were my family who lived somewhere else or something like that. It was the truth but it was a vague truth."

Akashi began to wipe the tears that threatened to run down Junko's face with his finger. "You didn't have to tell me all of that in detail," Akashi said as he placed an arm around Junko's waist so that she could be more comfortable with laying on him.

She shook her head in response. "I needed to let it all out and I'm glad I did. It scared me to tell you at first back then so I kept quiet and eventually I forgot. I realized now that I can never forget the past… but I can always look forward to the future… and that I think that I might now have a phobia of heights."

"Do you still want to go on the Ferris wheel?" Akashi asked. Junko nodded, slightly surprising him of the answer.

"I never got a chance to do so back then so I want to go on at least once before I never go on again. Will you take me, Seijuurou?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

His ruby orbs met her sapphire ones and he blinked before nodding his head. "Don't move around too much otherwise you'll just get more traumatized."

Junko gave him an apologetic smiled. "Thank you…" she murmured to him.

"Can you walk?" he asked. Akashi stood up and held out a hand. Junko took his hand and they walked at a leisurely pace to the Ferris wheel.

It was quite different with Junko being quiet as they walked to the circular ride. Akashi didn't blame her nor did he find it odd after what he had heard. Junko was much more delicate than he had realized as he held her soft hand that he was now currently tugging softly to keep up with him.

When they had arrived, the sun was already beginning to lower a little though the change in the sky wasn't all that much different. It was still that light blue color after all.

With nervous and shaking legs, Junko boarded the little carriage that was soon close and was slowly lifted off the ground.

The compartment they were in was small and it shook at first as they were lifted off the ground. It amazed Junko how she kept shaking when the ride would stop temporarily every now and then so that a different compartment would be departed by some people and others going on.

At one point she dared herself to look down only to see s thing line of color, that being people, waiting to go on the Ferris wheel. It was worse when she saw that they were at least a hundred feet off the ground. She retracted from the window and held onto Akashi's arm, who chuckled at her vulnerable self.

Junko blushed furiously and hid her face in his arm. She didn't expect a pat on the head from him when it came though. Who would? She looked up to see a gentle smile on the redhead's face which had made him all the more attractive to her. Junko mentally slapped herself for having such thoughts though.

"It's okay," he said. "You aren't alone. I'll be here when you need me." His words were comfortable and soothing that Junko was at the verge of sleep. She kept herself awake though so that she wouldn't have to bother Akashi with her sleeping form for if she had fallen asleep… Let's just say that it would be nearly impossible to wake her up.

She slowly loosened her hold on Akashi's arm and rests her cheek on Akashi's shoulder. She stared at the sky and watched it turn from light blue to orange as time slowly went by.

"Thank you, Seijuurou. I feel safer right now when I'm with you…" mumbled in a barely audible whisper. Even so, Akashi was able to hear it and he smiled, unbeknownst to Junko, and just sat with Junko until the ride ended.

Later they had called Gregory to go home, saying that they had an exhausting and enjoyable day.

_10 months later…_

Junko ran her way home on that December afternoon from school, not wanting to freeze to death from the midwinter snow that began to fall. She opened the door to her house quickly and closed it just as fast.

A calico cat meowed behind her and she smiled at her pet.

"I'm home!" she called out and she was answer with a "Welcome back!" from both her parents. Junko picked Kohaku up and carried him with her to the kitchen where she found her mother cooking dinner and her father helping her wash the dished.

"How was school today?" Junko's mother, Temaki, asked.

"It was cold! The heater in the school broke down so we almost froze to death in there," Junko exclaimed. "Ugh, why does sixth grade year have to be the year of torture?"

Her question was left unanswered which was unusual because her parents would always comment or answer a question that she had. She looked at her mother and her father who had paused in what they were doing.

Temaki narrowed her eyes before she placed the knife in her hand down. She quickly rinsed them and eyed her father to go into the dining room.

"We have something to tell you, Sumi-chan…"

Kohaku snuggled into Junko's chest and purred against the heat of his owner's body.

"What is it?" Junko asked, a bit confused and oblivious to the concern in her mother's voice. Temaki then led her daughter to the dining room where her father was already seated.

"You see, Kasumi…" her father began.

…

…

…

"What?!"

* * *

_Sooooo…. What do you guys predict what Junko's parent's told her? I want to know what you people think before I anger you people with my idea. If you have the prediction down, I won't tell you, just to say. I just want to see what goes on in your minds~_

_Next is advertisement time!_

_First, please read Infinite Skye's "Bonds of Gold" if you haven't already as well as her other stories she is in the progress or writing and two I believe are already completed._

_Also look at Rasielis' "Glean" which is her second MidorimaxOC story. I loved her first one as well by the way which is done and so is her "Paper Plane's Confession" which is an AominexOC story. Sad but beautiful at the same time._

_Umm… I don't think I have anyone else that I'm close to, to promote their stories so that will be it._

_Please drop a review of what you think about this chapter! (especially of what your predictions will be for the next chapter ;D)_


	10. Chapter 9: New Beginnings

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything (including the franchise) of Kuroko no Basuke._

_I'm so sorry! I apologize so much! I've been busy lately with family and friends coming over and sleeping over and taking care of parties and much younger cousins. Plus I have my volunteering at the library and hospital and going to places to complete this one program that helps me get an outlook of what I want to do with my life in the future so I have a short amount of time to write which is less than what I expected for the summer when I felt free for being off from school for a while. Guess not…_

_Plus I've been dwelling on the 220th Quarter of the manga as well as the season two trailer and trying to find the link to the KuroBas Cup 2013 so I can watch them all sing and act. There's too much feels in all of this that I have become a mentally crying fangirl everyday whenever I see something related to the past and present and future of the storyline because it just HURTS SO MUCH QAQ… _

_Other than that… I've been pretty happy because one of my friends who I haven't seen in over a year who lives far away came for a sleep over because her family had stuff to do where I live which they used to live in. She gave me a Japanese calligraphy set so now I just learn how to do calligraphy. Hah, she's probably one of my closest friends so I always think about her and am happy that she still stays close through e-mails and sending each other cards and gifts. Even though she doesn't watch KnB, she supports my feelings for it ^^_

_Now that I have let this all go, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and forgive me for being late… maybe. You'll learn what I did with the cliffhanger from last chapter ;)_

* * *

It's during those final years of when you are a part of something that you realize that you are, even for the moment, at the top. Once you are there, there will be a moment where you will look back and remember the past of what you went through.

Junko peered down from the second floor of Shukun Gakuen at the smaller children wandering the school ground on that cold winter's afternoon. If wasn't until over the weekend after her parents had talked to her that she was hit with nostalgia.

She closed her eyes and allowed the slight breeze gently blow against her face, savoring the crisp air that entered from the open window. Her bangs softly fluttered with the breeze of the wind, tickling her face yet she was unfazed and kept on staring at all the underclassmen around her.

It was a definite surprise to find herself taller than most of those younger than her. Once that detail was noticed, Junko found herself comparing to the her now and the her from her past years all the way back to her first year in the school.

A small smile formed on her face as she remembered all of those times of fun and laughter as well as those of tears and pain she shared with her friends.

Her mind was lost in thoughts of the past that she did not notice two familiar figures approaching her. Junko squeaked when she felt a heavy figure jump on her. She turned her head to see Tsukiyomi holding onto her shoulders with a smile on her face with Kisaragi behind her.

"Yo, Tsukiyomi-chan, Kisaragi-kun," she greeted calmly yet with sincerity. It was quite nonchalant actually, unlike most of her greetings.

"How are you doing today, Junko-chan?" Tsukiyomi asked cheerfully.

The blue eyed girl wondered for a little bit before answering. "I feel kind of subtle today. I guess knowing that this will be our last year here, I feel pretty nostalgic so I'm just looking back at our past. You seem pretty happy today though, Tsukiyomi-chan. Why is that?"

Tsukiyomi leaned her back against the window pane and placed a finger over her lips. "It's a secret," she sang.

"That's all too suspicious," Junko said, eyeing her friend playfully before chuckling followed by her friend's own giggle. Junko then turned her head toward Kisaragi who was watching them with an amused eye. "You seem pretty happy today too, Kisaragi-kun, even if you are quiet."

"If you want any more hints of why we're like this, I'll let you know it's caused by the same thing," the blonde responded as he ruffled Junko's hair, making her pout.

"Don't do that," Junko discouraged, moving Kisaragi's hand off of her head.

"I can see why Akashi does it to you now. It's pretty fun to tease you," Kisaragi claimed.

"Don't copy him! I have enough of one Seijuurou who is quite demanding and scary when he's serious let alone his playful side when he messes we me…" Kisaragi chuckled and Tsukiyomi smiled.

"Now that I think about, where is Akashi-kun?" Tsukiyomi asked.

"He's with the other officers of the basketball club working on funds and training regimes for the rest of the year even though the district championships are over. Seijuurou has taken upon himself to work with the financial issues due to his father requesting him to. Akashi jii-san says that it's to help prepare Seijuurou to take over his father's company in the future," Junko answered.

"That seems like a lot of pressure," Tsukiyomi commented, slightly worried.

Kisaragi grunted. "If it's him, I'm pretty sure he can handle it. He seems fine the past few months as well so there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

Junko sighed. "I'd like to say the same thing but he's also been visiting his father's workplace to get private tutor lessons on business etiquette and things like that… Despite his cool façade, he's been a lot more tired lately than usual."

"The both of you have gotten closer since Valentine's Day. I'm still wondering what happened you know." Tsukiyomi suggestively nudged Junko but she didn't budge.

"Just a life changing perspective on life and a stronger bond forming between us, that's all," Junko answered as she looked at the clear blue sky above them.

Tsukiyomi giggled and said sarcastically, "Whatever you say Junko-chan."

Not wanting to dwell on the topic anymore, Junko decided to change their subject of conversation. "Anyway, I've been wanting to tell you guys something but I need Seijuurou to be here so that I won't have to repeat myself. It's a pretty important decision that I need your feedback on, saying that you don't mind."

"Well, that depends on what you want to tell us." Junko nodded in understanding.

"Then meet me tomorrow in the greenhouse during lunch. I'll make sure Seijuurou comes to so that it won't be a waste of your time," Junko said before she stood up straight and began to leave for class. There were several minutes left before the bell rang for students to return to their respective classrooms anyway.

"Don't just tell us what to do, though I don't think I have anything going on tomorrow during lunch. It's like the bad parts of Akashi is rubbing off on you, Junko," Kisaragi complained.

Junko chuckled at the comment. "Sorry about that. Yeah, even if we don't see each other often right now, it seems I have picked up some of his habits. I'll see you two later then." Junko bid farewell to her friends and headed on to her next class

Upon entering the classroom, Junko had noticed the glint of light reflecting off of something from the corner of her eye. Junko turned her head towards the direction of the glint only to see a diamond ring that was never on her teacher's hand before. Her eyes widened when she realized what it meant.

"Fujisaki-sensei! Did Nakaidou-sensei propose to you?!" She asked excitedly as she approached the female teacher who she had for six years straight since her first day of school.

Fujisaki blushed at the statement but didn't deny it. She looked at her shoes and twiddled her fingers, thinking of a response for one of her (favorite) students. "You saw?" she decided to ask, figuring that her silence was enough confirmation.

"Just now," Junko answered with a smile. She walked up to her teacher and held her hands. "Congratulations! I had a feeling something like this would happen after all these years. When will you get married?"

Fujisaki beamed at Junko's enthusiasm. "It will be in about two years. I want it to be in the spring when school ends."

"That'll be nice. I should be back from-" Junko had cut herself off, before she could say more than what she wanted.

"Back from…?" Fujisaki asked curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing. I'm look forward to the next lesson, Fujisaki-sensei." Junko hurried to her seat, hiding her face behind her bangs though Fujisaki didn't notice at all nor thought it was suspicious when she had cut off her sentence.

Classes went by quickly for Junko even though she kept herself distracted with reminiscing over her past for most of the day. She woke up from her daydreams when she had exited class to find Akashi waiting for her.

The redhead leaned his back against the wall with his arms folded, his crimson eyes staring with anticipation until Junko had walked out of the room. Her cerulean eyes widened to see him there but she changed her expression into a smile and greeted her beloved childhood friend.

"Hi, Seijuurou. It's quite rare of you to pick me up from class, especially since I'm going to the archery club today than managing the basketball club. Is something the matter?"

Akashi shook his head and walked up to Junko. "Not really. I just felt like walking you to the dojo. I haven't been with you lately either so I thought I'd catch up on some news that I might not have been informed of yet."

"Are you sure it isn't because you miss me?" Junko teased. She was answered by both her cheeks being pinched and pulled by Akashi's hands.

"Don't get hopeful," Akashi said with a warning tone. He released her cheeks which she rubbed with her hands.

"Each time you do that, it feels like you're pinching harder and harder. One day, they're just going to fall off and I'll sue you for it," Junko playfully threatened.

"Even though you're the one who starts the harassment?" Akashi retorted with a question. Junko pouted but then laughed it off.

"Anyway, are you free at lunch tomorrow?" she asked. If you listened carefully, you could hear the hopeful tone threaded in the question.

Akashi pondered for a second before answering. "I am. Why?"

"Then let's eat lunch in the greenhouse like we used to, even if it's going our last time doing so. I have some news to tell you, Tsukiyomi-chan, and Kisaragi-kun," she explained cheerfully though Akashi saw through the bright smile right away.

"You aren't going to tell me now?" the redhead asked, letting off his growing suspicion.

"Nope. I don't want to repeat myself with this so it's better if the three of you are together. I don't mean to be selfish but this is kind of how it needs to be for now. Look at that, we're here already. Thanks for walking me over, Seijuurou." Junko flashed a smile before entering the archery range.

Akashi watched her disappear behind the sliding door before he walked back to the gym to start his own practice. His face darkened for multiple reasons though as of now, it was his sincere concern for Junko and what she is hiding from him again. By the sounds of it though, she was going to tell him and her other two trusted friends the next day.

He shook the feeling off and focused on what he should do to improve for the practice match the team will have after the school's winter break in two weeks.

The next morning came with a chilling shiver crawling down Akashi's spine. It was one of those odd mornings because he had never experienced such things before but he figured that it was just too cold of a winter morning in Kyoto.

He had gotten ready quickly and efficiently and ate his traditional Japanese meal for breakfast that the family chef had prepared for him. Afterwards, he went to the car and Gregory, as every morning of a school day, would drive him to school.

Akashi didn't see Junko that morning for whatever reason she was late or early. It was probably a good thing for Junko though because she didn't have to face the awkwardness of Akashi's curiosity of what Junko was hiding. Even though he thought this, Junko felt a different kind of shiver as if someone was thinking about her while she was running to school so that she wouldn't be late.

Classes went by dully as his teachers went over a review of what they had learned that year and were getting the students prepared for the midterm exams. Akashi halfheartedly paid attention since he had reviewed for everything a night before and was perfectly capable of acing the test. He tapped his fingers on the cold surface of his desk while looking down at his notebook as if paying attention to what his math teacher was explaining.

Despite the boring lectures and lessons, time flew bye without a trace of memories of what happened during that time. The bell rang the usual three times it did every lunch period. Students rushed out of the classroom to head off into the cafeteria or to any other places suitable for eating within the campus. Akashi was among the Japanese lunch time rush of students as they stormed out of the school building across the campus with bento and school lunches in hand.

The redhead made his way towards the greenhouse which he hadn't stepped inside of for over a year due to his busy schedule. It was nostalgic and eye-catching as his crimson orbs were set on the familiar foliage around him along with the new shrubs and trees that must have taken refuge in the glass building while he had not visited the area.

He walked around a bit in search of Junko, to see if she had already gotten a table or not. When he came to the more isolated corner of the greenhouse, he saw Tsukiyomi sitting next to the blue eyed girl while Kisaragi sat across from Junko. Akashi approached them quietly.

Junko turned her head when a flash of blazing red caught the corner of her eye. She smiled apologetically to Akashi and rubbed the back of her head once he was in hearing distance.

"Sorry if I made you wander around, Seijuurou. I should have told you where we were going to sit," Junko explained as Akashi took a seat next to her.

"It didn't take too long so it isn't that bad of a walk though I would like a heads up next time. You'll have to make it up to me," Akashi claimed. To this, Junko dropped her head in despair seeing how owing Akashi anything would resort to a tortuous or degrading experience.

Tsukiyomi giggled at the familiar scene and took a sip of hot tea she had in a foam cup; the tea coming from a thermo she brought with her that day. After her long sip and dreadful silence she said, "Well, we'd like to know what's been troubling you Junko-chan. As friends, we need to speak to each other so that we can help each other out, right?"

The cerulean eyes sparkled at Tsukiyomi. "You really are the best, Tsukiyomi-chan. I have two problems to address though one is a bit less serious than the other so I'll start with that." A long paused filled that silence as eyes stared at Junko with anticipation. She took a deep breath in and let it go out slowly. Then she opened her mouth to speak.

"Kohaku has been ignoring over the weekend and still today as well!" she cried in exasperation. Akashi, Kisaragi, and Tsukiyomi almost fell out of their chairs at the announcement.

"How is that serious at all?! That cat of yours just needs to be fed cat treats to like you again, right?" Kisaragi questioned harshly. A tick mark was seen on his face but Junko completely ignored any irritated looks given to her.

"I've tried that and it doesn't work! Kohaku is stubborn and can give me the silent treatment for days until I actually break down into actual tears! After that he'll come and comfort me but otherwise, I can't fake it… He's a feline with a very sharp sense and knows when someone tries to trick him. It's actually really scary…" Junko explained with crocodile tears streaming down her face.

Tsukiyomi chuckled hesitantly before speaking again. "Well if that's the case, shouldn't you wait for him to make up with you?"

Akashi had sighed, cutting off Junko's coming answer. "How did he start ignoring you in the first place? The last time this happened when you were depressed after Valentine's Day earlier this year. The both of you are too close to even do that to each other without good reason."

'Shoot,' Junko thought to herself. 'Looks like I can't prolong the inevitable anymore…"

"How do I explain this…?" Junko mumbled, barely audible to her friends. A bitter smile crept onto her face and her eyes slightly narrowed. She held her hands together in a tight grip, almost to the point where blood couldn't pass through though she didn't notice. Junko was too caught up with whatever was in her mind.

"Junko-chan?" Tsukiyomi asked, hoping to bring her friend back on earth, or at least that was what it seemed. Junko was completely conscious of whom and what was surrounding her being however she just didn't want to respond to any of them.

A small sigh escaped her lips and she looked up as she looked at her friends. "I'm moving… back to America."

"What?!" Tsukiyomi and Kisaragi almost yelled at the top of their lungs, if not for the amount of people around them.

"… I don't want to repeat myself," Junko muttered hesitantly, her eyes shifting to the side to not meet eye contact with anyone.

"What's more is that you aren't crying about it," Kisaragi noticed, still in shock. "I'm pretty sure, serious or not, you'd cry about something devastating to you."

Junko gave a small smile before it returned to a frown. "I cried a lot over the weekend when my parents told me about it… It kind of went like this…"

* * *

_"You see, Kasumi…" Hiroto started. Junko was focused on her father who would never call her by her full first name unless something important was going on._

_"We are going to move…" The sentence sounded incomplete with the way he ended it. It was as if he had more to say. _

_Somewhat curious, dreaded, yet yearning, Junko asked, "Where to?" That was when the silence became more awkward and urgent for Junko to know the answer. Her parents looked at each other, knowing that they would say next would hurt their daughter._

_"America," came the short reply from her mother. The information didn't sink in immediately and Junko sat there stunned. Once the word America registered into her mind, she slapped her hands against the table and stood up._

_"What?!"_

* * *

"And so that was how I was crying and thinking all this weekend, leading me to neglect Kohaku's needs and so he's angry at me for that… I'm leaving because Daddy's job has to have him work overseas to oversee how the market is doing in the states. As of how I'm not crying right now, I gave it a lot of thought and realized it might not be as bad as I feel it might be. I'll only be gone for a year and return but the second problem kind of lies in the afterwards when I move back," Junko explained.

"Wait, so you're telling us the moving and cat problem is one problem all together?" Kisaragi asked with an incredulous look.

Junko nodded. "Okay maybe I lied that this problem was less problematic than the second. I intended for Kohaku's problem to be one and the moving to be another but somehow they combined into one. In the end it turns into three problems really…"

"Go on," Akashi urged. It only took his strong gaze to unnerve Junko for her to move on.

"Well, my parents said that they would make it up to me by allowing me to go to whichever middle school I choose to go. I wanted to go somewhere where I at least know one person however I don't know where you guys are going so…" Junko didn't finish her sentence, figuring her question was already clear and stated what was wanted.

Tsukiyomi sighed in relief. "I thought you'd be gone forever. Well, even if you are far away, we can still contact each other through calls and text messages, right?"

"Exactly. That's why I don't think I should cry all that much plus I don't want you guys to worry about me too much while I'm gone."

Kisaragi felt mellowed after the explanation and sat in his seat comfortably. "If that's the case then I guess there's no trouble in telling you. It'd be pretty obvious for me to go to Shukun Junior High. It's still close by to my place and it's not all that bad."

"I'll be going too! I heard the choir is really good over there," Tsukiyomi added excitedly. Junko smiled at the two who claimed their schools happily. Her attention then turned to Akashi who silently ate his bento while listening to their chatter.

Somewhat worried though, Junko faced Akashi with an unsure smile. "Where are you going, Seijuurou?" she asked

The redhead swallowed whatever food he had in his mouth and cleared his throat before speaking. "I'll be going to Teikou Junior High School in Tokyo. It has scored high in academics and basketball for the past few years. My father had inherited a house from my grandparents before they had died so I'll be staying there throughout middle school. My father won't be staying with me since most of his work is in Tokyo though he said he'll come by when he can" he explained with no hesitancy in his voice.

Kisaragi slightly scoffed. "That's actually really expected of you, Akashi."

"Amazing… to go all the way to Tokyo for a prestigious school like that must mean it's worth it," Tsukiyomi noted. She then looked at Junko who now had a puzzled look on her faced. It was definite enough that Junko was torn of which school she wanted to go to.

Kisaragi looked at Tsukiyomi and Tsukiyomi looked back. An unspoken agreement was said as their eyes twinkled and then looked at Junko with an 'I'm-not-going-to-change-my-mind-and-you-can't-mak e-me' kind of expression except with a sweet smile on the girl's face and a smirk on the boy's.

"You should go to Teikou," Tsukiyomi and Kisaragi declared in unison.

"Eh?" Junko stared at them, dumbfounded at the sudden claim.

"The both of you are pretty much attached to each other anyways. Plus before, you said you kept a promise with his father saying that you'd watch over Akashi-kun right?"

"But that was a childish promise I made years ago…" Junko retorted.

Akashi smirked and placed his elbow on the table while leaning his chin against his hand. "Are you saying that you're willing to go against my father's word? He told me that he was serious about that promise too when we got in the car after that."

"Seriously?!" Junko was taken by surprised and didn't know what to say.

"How much of an airhead can you be, Kasumi? You know that ninety-nine percent of the time that my father is serious with whatever he says."

"Still that's a bit… Anyway, even if you tell me to go, where am I supposed to stay while I'm there? I can't just go to a school several hours away."

"Figure it out yourself. If I see even a strand of hair from you at our middle school, we'll send you back to Teikou in a securely wrapped package," Kisaragi said with a strangely stoic face.

"That's mean, Kisaragi-kun! And what kind of declaration is that?" Junko pouted at the blonde only to be responded by a smirk on his lips.

"Then I guess it's decided. You'll be going to Teikou when you come back, Kasumi," Akashi said. He stood up and placed the lid of his empty bento that no one noticed him finish. The redhead then walked off as if nothing bad had happened.

"Wait! This is supposed to be my choice! Don't just claim things without any confirmation!" Junko yelled at Akashi but he ignored her completely. Junko sighed and slumped back into her chair. "What was that?"

Tsukiyomi chuckled at her friend. "Why are you arguing, Junko-chan? Don't you want to stay by Akashi-kun's side? Besides, it sounds as if you want to go."

"It's not like I don't want to but everything happened so fast… I swear, sometimes you people stress me out."

"And you don't stress us out?" Kisaragi retorted in the form of a question. Junko puffed her cheeks and looked away, irritated. "Just go Junko. It's not like it's going to kill you. You'll figure something out as well and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy his company as well as others. Your airhead personality makes it easy for people to become friends with you."

"You are complimenting and insulting me at the same time, Kisaragi Ryouske."

"The pleasure is all mine."

"That said, why don't you stay at the Christmas party at the school next week! Since it's our last year hear, we might as well make it our best year too, right?" Tsukiyomi exclaimed in excitement and also was trying to prevent a fight between Kisaragi and Junko. "I've been wanting to wear my Christmas dress I bought this weekend but to find the chance is hard. The party will be the perfect chance to show it off!"

"I can't share the same excitement with you about wearing a dress, Tsukiyomi-chan," Junko claimed. She then turned her head to Kisaragi who had a slight blush on his cheeks though Tsukiyomi was facing her so the girl didn't notice. Junko smirked inwardly and figured it would be fun to play matchmaker during the party.

"Your difference is what makes you a people-friendly person, Junko," Kisaragi said while tapping a finger to his head indicating the airheaded personality of Junko's.

"Shut up, Kisaragi-kun!"

* * *

"I'm home!" Junko called out.

"Welcome home!" her mother answered from the kitchen. The blue eyed girl looked around with Kohaku nowhere in sight. Junko sighed and walked into the kitchen giving her mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"So?" Temaki asked her daughter while stirring a pot of miso soup.

Junko smiled and answered, "They understand. I explained the situation the best I could without breaking down. I can't say it was my best explanation though." Temaki paused her stirring a bit and looked over her shoulders with an understanding smile of her own.

"That's good to hear. Have you decided where to go for middle school yet?" Junko paused, pondering if she really wanted to explain that discussion. She gave in, figuring it wasn't something to hide.

"Well, somewhat Mommy. Tsukiyomi-chan and Kisaragi-kun said that I should go to Teikou Junior High School with Seijuurou, which is in Tokyo, out of the blue while they go to Shukun Junior High. Even though they say that, Tokyo is a bit far. Where could I stay if I were to go there?"

When Temaki was done with the soup, she turned off the flames of the stove and wiped her petite, delicate hands on a towel. She then took off her apron and placed it on a hook that stood six feet above the ground. Temaki walked to Junko and wrapped her arms loosely around her daughter's neck.

"Your father talked to Yuudai earlier today about your middle school. He said that if you choose to go to Teikou with Akashi-kun, then he is willing to offer you a room in the house Akashi will be living in while attending the school on the condition of behaving yourself and helping around the house when needed. It's up to you though if you want to go."

Junko thought about it for a few seconds. She wanted to confirm some thoughts before she permanently decided where she would go. She tilted her head back to stare into her mother's dark brown orbs. "Are you okay with it, Mommy?"

"I'm fine with it as long as I know you are happy and it's safe. I was assured, with much proof provided, that the neighborhood you would be in would be safe and the school had an excellent education with many extracurricular activities to your liking. But as I said, it is all up to you, Sumi-chan." Temaki nuzzled her nose in her daughter's hair and squeezed her arms a little tighter.

"Thank you for caring for me, Mommy. I think… that I'd like to go to Teikou. I don't want to be away from you or Daddy but I want to go to different places and I think that going to Teikou will be a great experience." Junko then jumped slightly in place, remembering something important.

"Yes, Sumi-chan?" her mother asked, sensing that her daughter had something else to say.

"Is it okay if I go to a Christmas party at the school next week? It's before Winter break and Tsukiyomi-chan said that if we should make this our best year on our last year hear."

Temaki smiled and patted Junko's head. "Of course it is. This school has proven itself to have a lot of fun and safe activities that I know my Sumi-chan will enjoy a lot." Junko smiled brightly and turned around in her mother's arms and hugged her.

"Thank you Mommy." Temaki embraced her child but let go after a long while.

"Okay then. We need to go and get ready for dinner. Your father will be home soon so clean up a bit and set the table," Temaki listed out.

"And feed Kohaku," Junko added.

Temaki chuckled. "Yes, and feed Kohaku. Good luck with him."

"I'll do my best!" Junko said with childish determination as she pumped her fist and stared at the cat bowl as if it were her arch nemesis.

Temaki stifled a laugh as she covered her mouth with one hand and used her other to clutch her stomach. Her daughter never failed to amaze her.

* * *

It was the morning of the Christmas Party and Junko was checking to make sure she had all of her belongings with her.

Junko was dressed in a beige turtleneck, black leggings, and brown boots. She slipped into her long coat and wrapped her black, knitted scarf around her neck. She then swung the strap of her bag over her shoulder and lastly, placed her ear muffs over her ears, keeping them snugged.

"Ready," Junko whispered to herself before she adjusted her glasses which she still considered annoying. She only wore them because she somehow had misplaced her contacts and couldn't find them.

She turned her head to see if she had anything else before she forgets. Her eyes then landed on a curled up fur ball with a calico design. Junko sighed as she watched Kohaku sleep soundly in the corner of the living room, not budging an inch except for the constant rising and falling of its whole body.

Junko tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears since she had decided to leave it down today. She opened the door and left the house, saying that she would be out despite it being an empty house other than the feline sleeping in the living room.

After locking the door and walking to the next block, she had placed a hand on the side of her bag to make sure she had the presents she wanted to give to her friends. Confirming that they were secured, she fastened her pace to the school.

The air was frigid and cold. Junko shivered and huffed in dissatisfaction at the weather. She could feel her legs becoming stiff but moved forward anyway. Puffs of small clouds came as she breathed out with her mouth, her teeth slightly clattering together. Junko brought her arms together and began to rub her arms in an attempt to keep herself warm though it barely did anything.

Finally having enough of the slow pace she was going and the dislikable weather, she sprinted on the semi-slippery concrete. The wind rushing into her face felt even worse but to move and stretch her muscles as well as her blood circulating slowly yet steadily began to warm her body slightly.

She continued running until she saw one of the lights were red. She began to slow down at the sight and pant heavily. When she made it to the corner, she had tripped over a crack on the sidewalk and fell.

Junko closed her eyes, getting ready for impact however she didn't feel herself plant her face on the cold, hard, and rough ground of the cement. She did feel like she was about to choke, however. The collar of her coat was pulled back but it was tightly pressing against her throat and it had hurt.

The hand on her collar yanked her backwards so that she could stand upright and keep herself from being in a falling position. Her back had then hit against a warmer body.

Her blue eyes turned around to meet familiar red ones and then widened in final recognition of who had saved her from falling.

"Ah, thanks Seijuurou!" Junko exclaimed. Her breath slightly hitched when she felt the mix of heat and cold air on her flushed cheeks.

"You do realize that the sidewalks have been freezing up recently because of the weather, right?" Akashi asked with stoic eyes. This scene was just too normal for him to even be completely concerned.

"But it's cold!" she complained. Junko pouted but then remembered the party at the school. "Ne, Seijuurou, are you going to the Christmas Party at the school?" she asked in curiosity.

Akashi glanced at Junko before returning them to the crosswalk ahead of them to see if the signal would turn green for them to go. "No, I am not. I'm just taking a walk since it's just the morning. There's not much to do today either since for the next week, the maids and butlers in our house are off for Christmas."

"Then why not come? It'll be fun."

"Rather than that, I had decided to go to Tokyo to take a look at Teikou by myself."

"To Tokyo? Seriously?" Junko asked, surprised by the idea. "Is it okay for you to go? I mean, what if you father finds out, Seijuurou?"

"He'll be gone for most of the day until sometime close to midnight. It'll be fine," he said nonchalantly. Junko stared at the redhead before sighing.

"I feel like I'm obligated to go. After lunch that day, I couldn't help but think of how serious Akashijii-san's words were."

"You don't have to go but I'd rather you would. You won't get to see it beforehand if you move, right? And if I remember what my father told me yesterday, you parents will also be out late as well. Plus this might be only time I get to go anywhere by myself so it's hitting two birds with one stone."

The last sentence had caught Junko's attention immediately. Akashi had seemed quite open with her and she had wondered why.

"To say that so openly with me… is it okay?" Junko asked.

"I don't see why not. I've spoken to you about many subjects before whether you are the one to bring it up or not. Whether it is or isn't private, you wouldn't really say it to others unless you know it doesn't affect so it's fine."

The ebony haired girl smiled gently before deciding what she was going to do. She took out her phone and began texting Tsukiyomi that she wouldn't be able to make it to the party.

"If you say it like that then it kind of makes me want to go. The school is on the way to the train station so I can drop off Tsukiyomi-chan's and Kisaragi-kun's presents. Let's hurry then, Seijuurou." Junko had grabbed onto Akashi's wrist before pulling him to the school which he glared at her in protest but did nothing else.

Upon reaching the school, Junko left Akashi at the gate of the school and made a mad dash into the building and up the stairs to where the sixth grade party would be held. Only the teachers were there with some of the student council students as well who were setting up for the party that would be open to the students within an hour. She explained to them that she would not make it but would like her presents to be given to Kisaragi and Tsukiyomi upon their arrival.

After the explanation, Junko ran back down the stairs and ran into Akashi, her face hitting his chest.

Junko's eyes turned into swirls when she pulled herself away from Akashi. When she became conscious again, Akashi had flicked her head as part of a punishment for running into him without thinking of both of their safety. The other part of the punishment was a list of three sets of 25 squats, 30 pushups, and 75 mountain climbers as well as five laps around the park when she returned home. Junko mentally cried when she heard this but said nothing, knowing better than to say something that could trigger doubling or tripling the training menu.

She sighed and silently followed Akashi to the train station where they had bought their tickets and soon were on their way from Kyoto to Tokyo. With it being late morning and no school in session, there weren't many people upon the train. Akashi and Junko quietly sat next to each other when they laid eyes on the closest available seats. Other than a few shakes and soft rumbling of the wheels on the tracks, everything was silent. Occasionally there would be people quietly mumbling to their phones against their ears and a baby crying with his mother shushing him to sleep once more.

Junko would have considered it awkward if she wasn't distracted by the constant sound of the rolling wheels and accelerating speed of the train. Her hands were clenched together against her lap. Her eyes looking from place to place to find a distraction from the cacophonic sounds. Other than that, her body was somewhat relaxed.

She looked outside in another attempt to calm her fast-beating heart. Nothing, unfortunately, was working. This was the one time she regretted not bringing her mp3 with her where she could listen to music and ignore the sounds of the train completely. Well, she couldn't really blame herself when she didn't think she would go on a two hour train ride to Tokyo.

Her mind, if only temporarily, was pulled away from her worries when a hand was placed over one of her ears and pulled her into the hand's owner's body. She heard the steady thumping of a heart beating and it echoed through her mind. Her body tensed though at the sudden action.

"You could've asked for help," Akashi scolded lightly as he kept his hold on Junko. He relaxed into his seat and shifted so that he and Junko would be comfortable while sitting with each other.

Junko's body loosened and she relaxed against Akashi's warm embrace and allowed the thumping of his heart become the melody of the ride. She whispered, "Thank you," and closed her eyes to focus on the steady beating and slow rising and falling of his chest, despite the heavy clothing he was wearing to keep him from the cold.

Before she even knew it, Junko fell asleep. Akashi sighed when he noticed this and mumbled something about it only being the morning. He smiled softly at Junko though who was at rest and was oblivious to the sounds that once haunted her. Akashi looked out the window and stared at the scenery flashing before him while holding Junko against his chest.

Distracted by the grass and mountains being left behind by the train, Akashi failed to notice two old women sitting farther away from on the opposite side of the cart staring at him and Junko and giggle at how cute they looked together.

Time flew by and the feminine voice coming from the speakers voiced that the train was arriving in Tokyo within ten minutes. Hearing this, Akashi began to shake Junko awake. She moaned and protest and snuggled deeper into Akashi's chest. After several more shakes and failing to wake up, Akashi pulled Junko away from him and proceeded to pinch her cheeks.

The pain resonated in her face and Junko woke up, ready to complain groggily but thought twice when she saw irritated eyes baring down at her.

"Awake now?" the redhead asked. Junko nodded confirming that she was completely conscious while stretching one arm across her body and adding pressure to it by pressing her forearm against the outstretched arm towards herself.

Several minutes after they boarded off the train, Junko felt her phone buzz. She flipped it open to see five text messages from both Tsukiyomi and Kisaragi. Deciding she could answer them later, she flipped the phone close and walked with Akashi out of the station.

Sapphire eyes widened in amazement when her eyes lay upon the tall, silver skyscrapers as well as the sea of people flooding the streets.

"Stay close," Akashi commanded. "It wouldn't do us any good if you got lost." Junko nodded and hummed empty-mindedly as she stared at the towering buildings above her, mesmerizing her.

"Tokyo is really crowded and the buildings are so high. I don't think I'd ever be able to step in one unless I didn't have to see how far down it is," Junko mumbled to herself though Akashi was able to hear it just fine.

"I doubt we'll be going into any of them in the near future so I wouldn't worry about it," he assured her. Junko nodded and fastened her pace as a result of people pushing and shoving, beginning to separate them.

After about 20 minutes of just walking, Junko noticed that the crowd became less and less. It wasn't until they found themselves in a quiet neighborhood did Junko let her breath out though she didn't know how long or when she began to hold her breath.

Akashi dug his hand into his jacket pocket and took out a piece of paper. He looked up and turned his head towards the street signs. When it seemed that he found what he was looking for he looked back at Junko, signaling that he was going to go. She followed silently, admiring the quiet side of Tokyo even though the houses seemed very close together.

Alley cats came and go, jumping on and off the walls and stealthily moving while some dogs bark at them but to no avail at catching the said felines themselves.

Another turn. Then another. Left. Right. Right again.

Junko began to count her steps, not really knowing what to say as she followed Akashi to what was supposed to be Teikou Junior High School. After about 356 steps later, Akashi had suddenly stopped, causing Junko to bump into his back.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's fine," Akashi replied. His eyes were staring straight in front of him at a black sign with gold hiragana bulging out from the black background. Junko looked at the sign to read that it was the middle school she would supposedly go to in less than two years.

The first thing, other than the sign to indicate the front of the school, was the size of the campus. "It's huge," Junko mused. "It's even larger than Shukun and I didn't think that would be possible."

Akashi smirked and placed the piece of paper back into his pockets. "We can't look at the inside though. The school is close but I wanted to get a close up on how it is. It's not too bad of a school, just based on its looks."

Junko nodded in agreement and peered through the closed gates to get a better look at the school. "Are those the gyms?" she asked, her face pointing towards a series of buildings that looked similar to each other.

"That seems to be the case. From what I gathered, there are over a hundred members part of the basketball club," Akashi informed as he also stared at the buildings, four of them total.

"Seriously?! I knew the basketball club was pretty famous but this… it's ridiculous."

"Since we're here, we should familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood, shall we?" Akashi suggested, changing the subject.

"Sure." Junko then walked beside Akashi down another road, the frosty air nibbling the tip of her nose. After walking and pondering a bit though, a question formed in Junko's mind. "Where are we going exactly? I mean I know we're just walking around but we can't just be aimlessly walking without even knowing a general destination, right?"

"If that is what you are wondering about I wouldn't worry. We'll probably pass by my father's inherited house and then we'll just go into more public parts of Tokyo to just see what's there. It's important to know your surroundings if you're going to live there for who knows how long."

"Point taken then. The trip has been pretty pleasant so far. What do you think, Seijuurou?"

"It's not too bad though I'd rather not go to the main part of the city too often. There's too much people around than I'd like."

Junko hummed in understanding until they approached what seemed like an empty lawn. She turned her head to see that it kept on going but with more flowers and trees deeper into the lawn. Her blue eyes looked farther and widened in shock.

"Eh?" She didn't know what to say. What could she say when all she saw were acres of land a very large house planted right in the middle of it all.

"That was quicker than I expected," Akashi said as he stared at the landscape before them.

Junko spun her head towards Akashi with a confused expression plastered on her face. "Wait… is that… Could it be? What?" Her mouth formed incoherent words and sentences as everything started to form together.

"That's right, this was my grandparents' home," the redhead explained as if it was the most normal thing ever.

"It's huge! No, it's gigantic! How wealthy were your grandparents?" Junko questioned in confused excitement. "Wait, don't answer that. I think I've had enough of knowing these types of things over the years."

In the end, Akashi chuckled at Junko's state of mind. "We'll just passing by. We're not going in there either. I don't think I should yet either. You'd probably form nonsensical questions and sentences even more, Kasumi."

"That's mean, Seijuurou," Junko huffed.

"Shall we keep on going?"

"Why are you asking?" Junko folded her arms and walked ahead of Akashi by several steps. She then stood awkwardly at a corner, not knowing where to go next.

"Need help?" Akashi asked, already knowing the answer. Junko huffed again and turned her head away, not wanting to speak to Akashi. Despite her silent protests, Akashi went and held her hand anyway. Junko looked at him curiously and became flushed at his sudden action. "You'll get lost if you don't pay attention," he reasoned.

Junko thought about it and realized that if she kept on being silent and not looked at him, she would have gotten lost. "Fine," she mumbled, entwining her fingers with his, just to keep him from unnecessarily worrying about her.

Silence settled between them as they walked towards convenience stores and grocery shops. After a while, the ebony haired girl thought it was pretty nice to walk out with Akashi. She didn't exactly think that being hand in hand was necessary either but it was cold and his hand was warm so there wasn't much room to complain, not that she wanted to complain.

Plus it filled up that empty spot in her heart where she began to feel lonely, knowing that she had to separate from her friends in a few more months. The feeling was warm and fuzzy and quite comforting. Even if it was only temporary, she was glad to experience a day where she goes somewhere with a friend without telling anyone and not really having a plan of where to go.

A bitter smile crawled onto her face. Still, it hurt to know that she was leaving. It was like losing everyone that she cared about.

Akashi didn't have to look at Junko to know her order of thoughts… well some of it anyway. All that he really sensed was that she was going to miss everyone and that it made her feel lonely. He held her hand a little tighter and pulled her closer to him, in order to speak at a lower volume.

"Are you really okay?" he asked. The redhead continued walking without looking at Junko.

She had a feeling that she knew what he was talking about. It didn't help to lie to him so might as well go with the truth. "No… not really," Junko answered with saddened eyes. "I won't cry though because I know I'll see everyone again, right? Plus I do not wish to see everyone worry about how I feel about moving. It's not like I haven't done that before either…"

"Enjoy yourself for the time being, Kasumi. Even if it hurts, forget it for a while and just enjoy yourself. It's pretty easy to tell when you're holding it all in."

"How obvious is it?"

"It's to the point where we know when you're thinking about it when you space out or just stare out the window." Junko sighed and leaned a little on Akashi's arm.

"I can't help it though I do admit I might be over-dramatizing the whole situation," Junko acknowledged.

"Kasumi, you're always over-dramatizing even the smallest situation," Akashi pointed out. She chuckled in acknowledgement.

"Fine, you win, Seijuurou. I'll just enjoy life until that time comes. In order to do that though, you have to treat me since you convinced me to come all the way out here with you," Junko said jokingly.

"I'm surprised you didn't say that I dragged you to Tokyo," Akashi commented though his face was far from surprised, "and I usually won't give in to bribery." Junko sighed with a smile on her face, figuring that it wasn't going to work in the first place. "However, since it's the holiday, I think a cup of hot chocolate wouldn't hurt."

Blue eyes widened in surprised and soon they glimmered under the winter light. Junko snuggled closer to Akashi and grinned gleefully, completely enthralled. "Thanks, Seijuurou!"

Akashi smiled back and stated, "Don't expect this too often."

Junko pouted but it only lasted for a second before the corner of her lips twitched upward once more. "I won't," she responded in a sing-song voice.

Soon they came across a park and a vendor across the street from it with several people in line, more than likely wanting to order hot chocolate since the sign was big with large black words printed on it.

"Stay here." Akashi walked across the black pavement to the vendor to stand in line. Junko took a few steps back and leaned against a wired fence, unsurprisingly belonging to a basketball court.

Though seeing how it was going to take several minutes, she decided to walk around a bit, but with Akashi always in her line of sight.

It was different; the atmosphere of Tokyo was much different from Kyoto. Junko couldn't put her finger on it but it was just different. There was definitely more people and the amount of buildings within the vicinity seemed like it was doubled. But it wasn't any of this that made the difference, Junko concluded. It was the people.

Blue eyes watched people walk by, observing them discreetly, trying to find that difference. She couldn't see it. Maybe it was because her mind was still young, still naïve enough that she couldn't see what made her feel excited without anything really making her adrenaline rush through her veins.

Giving up on just trying to figure out that specific conflict that she was having, she decided just watch the people that came and went. One minute of her random observation, the blondes had walked past her, two of which were female and noticeably older than the third person being a male. In conclusion, she figured that they were siblings and very pretty siblings at that.

'_Ikemen-kun,' _Junko thought as they passed her by, talking and laughing together. '_But it really brings up the spirits of the holidays.'_

When Junko turned around to walk back to Akashi, she stopped. She couldn't recognize anything at all and she blamed the sparkling and pretty blondes for that.

"Shoot," Junko uttered under her breath. "I'm lost and I only took a few steps away." She looked left and right and found herself utterly confused. She walked forward but soon bumped into something… err… someone to be more exact though she didn't see the boy at first.

"Eh?" She stood and stared at the boy with baby blue hair and matching eyes. He held a basketball under one arm and wore a zipped, black jacket over his torso. "Were you always there?" Junko asked as calm as she could, though confused even more.

"To be more specific, I just came here though it seems that you did not see me at first. Do not worry, it is quite normal," the boy explained. He then smiled a small smile which perplexed Junko even more. "This is the first time no one has screamed when they learn that I was always here. Thank you very much."

"Um, you're welcome?" How was she supposed to react to that kind of statement? Remembering that she was lost, Junko pushed the confusing situation aside. "Anyway, do you think you could help me? I'm lost which is because I'm not from Tokyo. I was waiting for a friend across the street from a food cart that has this pretty big sign that says hot chocolate on it but I got distracted and now I find myself in this situation." Junko chuckled unsurely after completing her summary of events.

"It seems that you are an airhead," "How blunt!" "So I will help you get back to where you were. It's only a few meters away. After all, what kind of gentleman would leave a young girl unsure and afraid in an unfamiliar place?"

The last sentence/question had caught Junko off guard. She then smiled and had let out a small laugh at the bluenette. "You're a strange person. Thank you for helping me."

"It is my pleasure." The bluenette then began walking ahead of her. Junko analyzed him curiously since it seemed that he played basketball. After about 30 seconds of quickly looking over the boy's physique, she couldn't help but cringe.

He had no ability whatsoever or at least that was what it looked like so far. Junko couldn't help but have a good vibe from the boy despite the obvious sight of his built meant for a small amount of stamina and strength overall. In order to confirm such thoughts Junko asked, "Do you like playing basketball?"

Unbeknownst to Junko, the boy smiled and answered, "I love playing it. I might not be very good but I believe if I continue to work hard, I can play against stronger opponents."

Knowing that the boy acknowledged his strength and weaknesses made Junko smile even more. "I feel really glad to hear that. By the looks of it, you're in the middle school, right?"

"I will be next year."

"Then in two years, I hope to see you play in games. You see, I'm moving to America after this school year ends but after that one year, I'll come back here. One of my closest friends is a basketball player and will be in the middle school next year as well. I'll definitely be going to his games so maybe one day we'll see you on the court." Junko was answered with silence which made her feel as if she had something wrong. She was about to say something but the boy had replied to her request first.

"I would like that very much," he answered politely but she could hear the enthusiasm and excitement in his voice.

"Then I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. Ah, we're here. Thank you for help… err… What's your… name?" Junko turned around only to see no one behind her. "A ghost?" Junko asked herself. She was back to stage one, being very, very confused.

"Where were you?" Junko turned her head to look at sharp, cold, crimson eyes staring at her. Immediately, she clapped her hands together and bowed.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't stand still so I thought I'd wander off just a little bit but in the end I still got lost. Someone helped me get back though, Seijuurou." Akashi sighed.

"Don't wander off again. Who knows what would've happened if you couldn't find your way back or if I couldn't find you," Akashi reprimanded.

"I'm sorry…" Akashi held out a hand that held a foam cup with a plastic lid over it, steam coming out of the drinking hole.

"Just don't do it again." Junko took hold of the cup and smiled apologetically at Akashi.

"Thank you for understanding and for the hot chocolate, Seijuurou." Akashi then stuck his free hand into his pocket and pulled something out. In his hand was a bracelet, thin and made out of a ring of metal.

Other than the intricate designs of swirls and lines embedded into it, the bracelet was simple. The redhead set his own cup of hot chocolate down on a bench. He then took Junko's left hand and slid the bracelet on.

"A Christmas gift and an early parting gift before you leave. I figured you'd want something that would remind you of home," Akashi said nonchalantly though his eyes didn't meet hers. "Take it off when you need to. It'll be a bother if you wore it when you do archery."

"But I'll always find a way to keep it by my side. It's a wonderful gift. Thank you." Junko smiled and was returned with a smile from Akashi as well though it didn't last long. "I'll have to give you your gift when we get home. I didn't bring it with me because I didn't think I'd see you today."

"That's fine. We should be getting home though. It's starting to get pretty late."

"Okay." Akashi picked up his foam cup again then let his other hand hold onto Junko's. He said it was so that she wouldn't get lost, which was at most, true.

o.O.o.O.o

_Several months later…_

It was a day before school reopened and before Akashi would have to attend Teikou. He had already moved into the home of his late grandparents and had settled in quite comfortably. It was, surprisingly though, uneventful despite the change in environment.

The only thing that we caught his attention enough that he wouldn't have to zone anyone out was when Junko had visited him the night before she left to America, several days ago. If anything it was quiet. She didn't have anything to say other than to say goodbye. Even so, she stayed in his new home for quite some time even though they just sat there, not saying anything to each other.

The company was nice though but a little degrading seeing how they wouldn't see each other in a while. At one point during their stay though, Junko had asked if Akashi had his schedule for school yet. She wanted to know when he was and wasn't available for a chat on the phone or if it was okay for her to text him, once she figured out the time difference between Japan and the United States.

He allowed her to take a look at his school schedule as well as the usual practice times in both the morning and after school. She copied the information down in a pocket sized notebook before she stuffed the notebook back into her pocket.

When it was getting late, she bid farewell but not before hugging Akashi tightly. It caused him to be surprised but he returned the embrace without fail. They stayed that way for a while before they parted and Junko left down the road, disappearing into the setting sun.

The morning she had left and the world became dull… or only for a while though Akashi didn't know that yet.

* * *

It was a day of clear blue skies that it was hard to believe it was spring.

"Hey, Dai-chan!" a pinkette ran up to a boy with solid blue hair and tan skin. "Have you decided which club you're going to join?"

The tanned boy scoffed. "Ah? Don't ask when you already know the answer, jeez." A smile then formed on his face and his eyes bright at the thought. "It's gotta be basketball, right? This school's supposed to be pretty strong. I can't wait."

"Huh… Then maybe I should be the manager or something~? On match days, would you like me to make you lunch?"

"… No thanks. If you did that, I wouldn't be able to play in the match."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" the pinkette yelled at 'Dai-chan'. As they walked, the boy with tanned kin bumped into someone.

"Whoa," he exclaimed.

"…Pardon me," excused the voice. A flash of light blue and someone shorter caught the tanned boy's eyes for just a second.

"My bad…" The boy turned around only to see no one there.

"What's wrong?" asked the girl with pink hair. The boy rubbed the back of his neck, thinking of a response.

"No, it's just… Ah, whatever." He pushed the subject away, focusing on getting to his next destination, that being his homeroom, more than likely.

The person with light blue hair was continued on walking, swiftly walking through the throngs of people while only paying attention to the novel he was reading. As he walked, he was approached by someone that more than likely looked like an upperclassmen.

"Hey, do you like books?" the older boy asked. "How about joining the literature club?" The boy with light blue hair walked right passed him but the older paid no heed. It was as if the bluenette was invisible.

"No this is a phone book," answered a taller boy though obviously new to the school. He wore square, black rimmed glasses and had green hair.

"Phone books are still fine books… Eh?!" The upperclassmen questioned in surprise and confusion. "Why are you carrying around a phone book?!"

"It's my lucky item. From Oha-Asa nanodayo," explained the boy with green hair.

"Eh?! Erm… Lucky… 'Nanodayo'?" The older boy was obviously tongue tied and speechless, not sure how to respond to a boy who was odd by not only his hair color buy by the way he spoke the strange talk about lucky items.

Somewhere else on the school campus of Teikou Junior High, people spoke loudly in amazement and admiration. "Whoa, you're huge!" said one person.

"Amazing!" exclaimed another. "The volleyball club! You've gotta join the volleyball club!"

"Eh~~… I dunno, maybe…" The person who said this was over 2 meters tall and had almost shoulder length, purple hair. "But it's such a pain~~…" he complained lazily. The boy with light blue hair walked pass the commotion without any interest and continued reading.

He then walked past a group of girls; many standing at a distance just admiring while others came up to the sparkling, pretty blonde.

"Hey… Isn't that guy really hot?" asked one of the girls who were admiring from the sidelines.

"Wow, he really is!" agreed another. The blonde was baffled by the attention he was getting by the female population around him.

A limousine drove up to a corner, several blocks away from the school.

"Are you sure you're alright with getting off here?" asked a middle-aged man wearing a business suit.

"Yeah," answered a redhead. His eyes were sharp and bright as the crimson color of blood. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Also, after today, don't fetch me to or from school anymore."

"Even if you say that… I was told by your father to see you off at the school gates…" argued the chauffeur.

"My father has nothing to do with this. Doing something like this every morning makes one stand out. People will laugh," Akashi retorted. "… At least let me have my freedom at school."

The light blue-haired boy was deeper into the school campus which was, by now, flooded by a sea of students, new and old. He took out a folded piece of paper that was in an envelope.

He unfolded the paper and read it. Feeling the encouragement coming from the words of his childhood friend, he smiled to himself. "Of course, I, too, will join the basketball club."

It was later that day of the first day of school did the tryouts for the basketball club was held.

The short bluenette looked around the gym nervously at the people gathered inside. "Excuse me… are the people here all a part of the basketball club?" he asked what looked to be a member of the basketball club.

"Whoa, you surprised me!" was the first response of the boy he asked. "Well… yeah, they are. You didn't know? If you were in a youth basketball club, it should be common knowledge. This school's basketball club is incredibly strong and has won the championship many times." They then looked at the banner that held one of the mottos of the school and more specifically, the club itself.

_100 Battles, 100 Victories_

_Teikou Middle School Basketball Club_

"First off, achieving victory is the premise of this club. Anyone who is not serious about this should go find another club." The deep, masculine voice echoed throughout the gym. A man with light hair and professionally dressed clothing stood on a stage, his arms crossed, facing the large amount of students wanting to try out for the basketball club.

"To those of you who remain, be prepared for extremely difficult training! Before we get to the self-introductions, we'll divide you off by class to test you. This will be a test of physical strength and skill. We'll use the results of the test to put you into the first through third strings. You'll only be able to play in matches as a regular after you've made first string. I'll be asking newbies and those who are late and therefore absent at the moment to join the third string." A pause of silence settle in before the man spoke again.

"You will be tested periodically, so those who are in the second and third strings should not give up, but practice harder with the coal of being promoted. That's all!" Once the man was done speaking, whispers and murmurs were heard throughout the gym.

The bluenette overhead some students saying that there has never been a freshman making it to the first string on their first try. It was nerve wrecking, no doubt, especially when he heard that they were going to do their best.

His eyebrows furrowed in determination and realization that it was going to be tough.

Soon voices were heard, even outside of the gym as they began to start the tryouts. The blonde from earlier that morning stared at the gym in wonder.

"Wow, they sure sound like they're having fun. I wonder what club that is?" He stopped walking for a moment to stare at the gym but then continued on his way out of the school campus. "Maybe I should join some kind of sports club too…

"Ah, but sis said that the modeling agency she sent my picture to called yesterday… What should I do…? Well, even if I join a club, it'll end up being easy… no matter what it is."

After some hours later, the tryouts were finished and the coach with the business suit began to announce the results.

"Those of you who have your names and number called should go over there to the third string coach."

"Number two, Saitou Nobuo. Number Four…

"… Futoshi. Number twenty-eight, Shimada Shunsuke." The bluenette was frozen in his spot, cold sweat dripping down his body as he waited in anticipation, hoping to at least, not be in the third string.

"Number thirty-nine, Tanaka Jun. And…" The boy with light blue hair squeezed his eyes shut, hoping, wishing that he wouldn't hear his name being called. "Number thirty-one, Kuroko Tetsuya. That's all." Kuroko stood there, motionless and his mouth, slightly open. His name was called.

"Next will be those who are joining the second string." Names were called in the same fashion like when the new members for the third string were. Fist pumps of accomplishment and relief occurred around Kuroko as he stood there, disappointed and hurt.

He smiled bitterly and remembered the letter from his childhood friend. He swallowed his tears and looked up with determination and hope, believing that he would improve to the point that he could make it to the first string.

The last name of the new second string members was called. Almost everyone was about ready to leave until they heard something of the unexpected.

"Next, I'll announce the first string members," announced the coach. Everyone looked shocked at the sudden turn of events.

"…Eh? Did he just say 'first string'…? No way…"

"I thought there'd neber been a freshman who managed to make the first string before…"

"Number Eight, Aomine Daiki." Aomine, the boy with dark blue hair and tan skin walked up the group of first string members, smiling purely and confidently.

"Number eleven, Midorima Shintarou." The boy with green hair and black rimmed glasses walked next to the first string, his face stern and his lips pressed together into a firm line.

"Number twenty-three, Murasakibara Atsushi." The purple-haired giant game walking next. His face was noticeably bored as he continued on, thinking about what snacks he should eat next after club activities were done.

Last but not least was… "Number twenty-nine, Akashi Seijuurou." Akashi stared straight on with an emotionless gaze, unfazed by the hundred or so stares coming from stunned members of the basketball club.

It was a new milestone, a new chapter in life.

This is what Junko called, the beginning of the Teikou arc.

* * *

_A/N: And so the Teikou/middle school arc begins. :D_

_Majority of everyone's predictions were correct while those who weren't, I was completely amused because they were just out of the box. I mixed a bit of ideas up though it might not be noticeable… Though I don't think anyone would think I'd go to the extent of her moving as far as back to the states. I've had that idea for a long time… actually since I first started writing this story and I wasn't going to change that fact for that matter._

_This is also, by far, the longest chapter I have written with over 11,900 words if you don't include the author notes. But omg, it was hard to write the ending because I had to look back on the 204th Quarter in the manga and rewrite the whole beginning of the Teikou arc. From here on out for the first year of middle school, it will all be in Japan, mostly from Kuro-chan's or Akashi's point of view since they play major roles both in the manga and here in my story :)_

_I might have a few chapters of Junko's experiences in America. My only problem now is to figure what state she will live in and if she's going to meet Kagami, Himuro, or/and Alex if she's over there. _

_I don't know if you noticed this either but I started out with Junko and Akashi seeing Ao-kun first, the strongest and most talented of the GoM by far, especially during the Teikou years and then I ended with Kuro-chan, the weakest and the one seen with the least potential in the beginning. Aokuro anyone? Omg, what am I doing to myself. Their relationship right now in recent chapters is killing me._

_Yeah, so there's that… I need Junko to see all of them before hand and I really wanted her to interact with one of the GoM (other than Akashi, dur) and I found Kuro-chan to be the easiest. Don't say that he's out of character too because if you have read the manga, you will definitely know he had a lot more emotions seen back then than what we see now. He smiled thinking of Ogiwara-kun so there's no way he's not going to smile when there's a discussion about basketball._

* * *

_Advertisement time!_

_Please visit the KNB Author's forum for some crazy fun and contests (though for our first and most recent one, the deadline for signing up for it has closed but I think judges are still accepted… I think). We also have events where we do some weird and fun things for a week. Our last one was a cross-dressing week where we cross-dressed or turned ourselves into genderbent selves with male or female counterparts (there is only one male that's active on the forum though [Jakenii-san (JakeEverfree) I'm looking at you])._

_As of stories:_

_Infinite Skye's "Scarlet" and "Those of the Birdcage Manor" are to sees. They are the most recently updated too which is why I'm promoting them. "Scarlet" as many of you already know (or should know) is about Akakibana Inori, a hypocrite on her feelings and actions that it becomes awkward and fluffy around Akashi XP I love that story, it's so cute. Then "Those of the Birdcage Manor" is about Fem!Kuro-chan who actually cross-dresses as a boy with her named changed to Tetsuya as a boy but her actual name is Torimi but then loses her memories due to a fall and not wanting to deal with the frustrations of the GoM anymore._

_Next is CherryPop0120's "Just a Little Better than Revenge", an OCxKuroko story about her OC, Fujidana Hazuki, the younger sister of Kiyoshi Teppei wanting to get revenge for her brother and becomes a part of the Seirin Basketball Club as a regular ;) Cute story as of yet and can be very awkward and fluffy._

_Lastly is Rasielis' "Gleam" and "Presents are earned by Hard work (with Surprises too!)". The first one is her second OCxMidorima story of quite a cynical character though I find it funny how she opposes Midori-kun in her own ways. As of the second story, it's her present for Midori-kun's birthday._

* * *

_EDIT: Okay guest ,I fixed it but... Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot... *breathes hard* Bad news everyone! Quarter 221 has come outrage and Akashi snapped... My feels QAQ The broken AkaKuro moment killed me and the team just learned not to mess with Akashi... Just shoot... I'm going to be depressed anchoring a whole for the next few days... I might not even have the courage to write the next chapter... _

_So that's it. Please drop a review, give me predictions, or whatever goes on in your mind as you read the story. Thank you!_


	11. Chapter 10: It's a Feeling

_Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Kuroko no Basuke franchise._

_A/N: And here is the next chapter of Hold Me Close. All I really have to say is that after this I might not upload much because I have band camp coming up as well as finishing school and I need to finish some homework._

_As a reminder the main setting will be in Japan but I will have scenes of Junko in America and probably a whole chapter or two of important experiences there._

_More important stuff will be said after this chapter._

_I hope you like this chapter!_

* * *

Sweat dripped down Midorima's skin, a drop falling onto the waxed floor of the court. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the older teen marking him.

The game was a three-on-three, the freshmen against their peers.

Murasakibara sat on the bench, a bored expression painting his face as half lidded, violet eyes overlooked upon the players before him. The spectacles boy shoveled quickly at the purple headed person before action fell upon the players once more.

He raced to the three point as he was told to do before the next play began, his eyes switching focus on his mark while keeping track of Aomine and Akashi, Aomine being the one with the ball.

Finding himself in a troublesome situation, deep blue eyes scanned the field to look for an opening.

Akashi was occupied with Nijimura trailing him. Midorima was kept on his toes as the underclassmen guarding held onto a tight defense.

Taking a risk and putting his blind trust into his teammates as the senior behind him was about to catch up, Aomine passed the ball to Akashi who seemed to be less stressed with the position he was in.

Aomine clenched his hands when he realized that it was probably too late for Akashi to react to his sudden decision. The man-to-man strategy their seniors have used had hindered their movements. He wouldn't blame them though if they were facing prodigies in the sport and to leave one player unguarded could cost them greatly.

To everyone's shock and amusement, Akashi had found a weak spot in Nijimura' s defense, that being his reaction to his left was a second slower than his ability to read to to his right. Akashi ran to his right, or Nijimura's left, passing the current captain of the basketball team and connected to the orange ball headed his way.

"Go, Akashi!" Aomine screamed from the adrenaline pumping through his veins. The redhead pivoted on his right foot to turn towards the basket and ran towards the net.

Seven seconds left.

"I won't let you through!" Nijimura rushed to stop Akashi, his arms spread out to block whatever move Akashi would attempt to do. Crimson eyes quickly glanced behind him before relaxing a big hands stared into Nijimura's eyes.

"There's no need for you to," Akashi stated coolly, passing the ball behind him to his left.

Graceful hands took hold of the ball, gripping onto it with their fingertips and palms. The basketball rolled off the hands and into the air, flying towards the net within seconds from the green-haired teen.

The opponents eyes widened in fear as the ball slowly soared and swished into the net without any pause or hesitation. A buzz echoed throughout the gym and a small crowd cheered in amazement. The freshmen had won by two points against their seniors, 25 to 23.

Aomine panted heavily yet grinned at the same time, obviously elated that he and the two other freshmen had won. Midorima shifted his glasses with his left hand as a small smile crept onto his face in satisfaction. Akashi smiled slightly, closing his eyes and nodding his head in approval, his hands on his knees as he took in deep breaths.

"Good job Mine-chin, Mido-chin, Aka-chin~" Murasakibara said lazily.

"That was a great game!" Momoi rushed up to each freshmen, handing each individual a towel.

Midorima and Akashi nodded in thanks while Aomine said a quick, "Thanks" then proceeded on wiping the soaking sweat off his body.

"Man was that fun! What was most surprising though was how Akashi was able to catch my pass at the end of the game there. For a shorty, your pretty quick and strong, Akashi," the tanned boy commented, not knowing that he had engendered a spark of a flame of annoyance within the redhead.

"Would you care to repeat that last sentence, Aomine?" the redhead asked darkly, his crimson eyes narrowing in disapproval.

"Hah? What do you mean?" Aomine questioned back, oblivious that he had insulted the redhead's height.

"Midorima sighed at the bluenette's stupidity and interrupted before anything bad could happen… not that he'd care.

"To have such game sense and confidence and talent is rare as well. If I have to be honest, if it wasn't for Akashi we probably would have lost," Midorima acknowledged.

"I only did my job as a point guard. Having to find gaps in my opponents is only natural and it is how I always win."

"Hmph. You speak with much confidence, Akashi. One day, you will experience a defeat and I shall make sure that I will be the one to do it," Midorima claimed.

Akashi smirked. "I'll be looking forward to the day that will happen, Midorima."

"Now, now, let's just all agree that Akashi-kun has the qualities of a leader, right Mukkun?" Momoi tried to compromise before any unneeded outbursts began.

"That's why I follow Aka-chin," Murasakibara agreed absentmindedly as he was munching on some snacks; a granola bar to be more specific.

"And that is why we will be promoting him as another vice-captain, on request of Nijimura," Sanada, the first string coach of Teikou's basketball club voiced as he walked up to the group. "Will you accept the position, Akashi?"

It came as quite the surprise for such a proposition to be given to a first year in high school, let alone the fact it was only two weeks into the school year.

Everyone stood silently, curious of the answer the redhead would give, though who would turn down such an opportunity? Akashi remained quiet as he carefully pondered if he should accept. He knew what was in store however his father would have wanted him to as long as kept up with his grades. Besides, he was expected to be the top of everything he would do.

"I shall accept the offer coach. I thank you and the captain for allowing me to hold this position within the team," Akashi bowed before Sanada nodded his head in satisfaction with Akashi's answer.

"With that said, practice will be dismissed for today. Also for next week, Momoi, I need you to inform and escort a second string member here. He will also be joining the first string. His name is Haizaki Shougo," the first string coach informed.

Momoi nodded in understanding and watched the coach walk away along with the four males with distinct hair colors standing next to her.

Aomine whistled, impressed. "If Akashi's really that strong than I have no complaints. Let's go hit the shower then I can go home and hit the hay."

"Aomine-kun! You can't do that! I'm pretty sure you still didn't finish your math homework, have you?" Momoi asked but seemed prepared for whatever answer the tanned teen would give her.

"Just stop nagging, Satsuki. I'll just copy off of you tomorrow." He yawned and began walking away towards the locker room.

"Honestly, Aomine-kun!" Momoi pouted at her childhood friend.

"We should start heading home as well," Akashi suggested, also walking to the boys' locker room. Midorima and Murasakibara followed shortly after.

* * *

"Ah… It should be around 7 p.m. in Japan right now… Gosh, I'm tired," Junko mumbled to herself sleepily.

She scowled lightly at herself for waking up at 4 o'clock in the morning, sixteen hours behind Japan's time in the world and even after being in America for two weeks, her body still wasn't accustomed to the change in time zones.

If anything, it felt as if her body was working against her, making her wake up earlier and earlier each morning… or it was the drinks she made a few days ago after consulting Tsukiyomi on her insomnia. It was irritating and she didn't know what to do.

The blue-eyed girl sat in bed soundlessly and blankly stared at the rotating ceiling fan above her.

It was this particular fan painted in alternating pink and blue blades decorated with sticker of rainbows and butterflies that sparked her memories from her childhood in America despite how vague they were. There was a time where her father was fixing the fans with her mother while she jumped up and down on her bed continuously and laughing nonstop just to test the limits of her parents' patience. That was her old room and her old home.

How childish and annoying she was back then, she realized. There was no doubt that she was a risk taker that also made her parents' heart skip a beat or even more, especially after that time when she attempted to slide down the flight of stairs in a cardboard box with no protection other than the large pillows surrounding her as she and the cotton-filled fabric filled box had the chance of tipping over and landing on her head.

Junko looked back at the digital clock on the night stand next to her.

4:10 a.m.

She sighed, wondering if she should call that particular redhead who might have a solution to her insomnia.

_'Maybe in an hour,' _was what she thought but by staring at her phone that sat next to the clock for a long time, she was tempted to also annoy him because she missed teasing him and her other friends oh so much. It was too quiet for her.

A minute later, her face was streaming down with exaggerated tears because she missed her friends and she couldn't waste money texting people for selfish uses. She then promised herself to call her friends once a week. Texting can go back and forth and so it just wastes more money.

"I'll call him later," Junko decided. She flopped back down, her ebony hair sprawled against her pillow.

When she felt her bed shift softly, she turned her head to find Kohaku stepping towards the pillow her head laid on.

The calico feline circled in the spot several times before plopping himself next to his owner.

"Seems like you aren't mad anymore, Kohaku," Junko whispered while scratching behind the ears of the grown cat. A low hum vibrated from his throat in pleasure from the scratching.

"Hmm…" Junko thought in wonder. "Maybe I'll call him in 20 minutes. An hour and doing nothing is too long."

* * *

Akashi was buttoning up his shirt in the locker room, his pants and shoes already on. He had exited the showers some time ago with wet, blazing red hair, droplets of clear liquid falling from the tips of his messy locks.

Aomine and Murasakibara were already done dressing and were headed home. Aomine just wanted to go to sleep and Murasakibara claimed that a friend of his was going to give him some sncaks.

That left him, Midorima, and a few other basketball club members in the locker room in no rush to get home.

After tying the black tie around his neck securely and slipping his arms through the white blazer but left it unbuttoned, he silently looked through his bag for something.

Finding what he was looking for, he slipped the thin gold-colored bracelet decorated with engraved curves and swirls over his hand and onto his wrist.

Midorima noticed the glint of the accessory as light reflected off of the golden surface.

Excuse me for be nosy, Akashi, however I find it unlike you to wear a bracelet like that. Though, I should not be one to judge since I have only known you for two weeks," Midorima stated.

"No, I probably wouldn't have worn it myself if it wasn't a gift from a friend," Akashi replied, his back facing Midorima.

"This friend of yours must be important to you for you to wear it without fail of ever forgetting it."

"Is that what it seems?" Akashi asked, hiding any emotions he might have had.

"It would seem that way," the green-haired teen answered. Silence settled between them for several long seconds as they continued dressing before Akashi replied.

"Well, if it is this person, I guess it is something like that. What intrigues me with your inquiry, Midorima, is how it is implied that I did not have any friends before."

"As I said, I am still not one to judge because of the short amount of time we have known each other," Midorima defended. "Though if you want the truth, you are quite distant from everyone. Even if Murasakibara, Aomine, and I are the closest to you at the moment, it can only be considered as us being teammates and acquaintances."

"That is quite observant of you, Midorima. I will not deny that I separate myself from everyone else a little bit more than what is considered normal however I have my reasons. It is only a trivial matter but if you prefer to find a way to get closer as you say, I think a game of shogi wouldn't be a bad start," the redhead suggested only to be answered by a flustered and angered Midorima.

"Who said I wanted to get closer to you?!" Midorima shouted.

"It was implied," Akashi retorted with a smug smirk.

RING! Ring!

The redhead looked down at his bag that began to vibrate from the ringing of his cellphone, the screen glowing brightly through the fabric of the outside pocket of the bag.

The redhead's hands unzipped the pocket and took the rectangular device out and in front of his face to look at the caller ID. The time was 7:33 p.m.

"It seems that I will have to pick up this call. I will be leaving first, Midorima," Akashi informed as he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out the door.

Calmed down a bit, Midorima shifted his glasses and nodded. "I will see you next week then, Akashi."

The new vice-captain nodded in acknowledgement and left the gym.

After the sixth ring, he finally flipped open his phone to answer the call.

"It's been a while, Kasumi though if I remember the difference between our time zones correctly, it should be around 4:35 in the morning for you. May I ask why you are up this early?"

"It's nice to talk to you again too!" Kasumi greeted excitedly in a quiet voice. "That's actually why I'm calling you right now though… It seems that my body has a mind of its own and I've been waking up earlier and earlier each morning and I can't go back to sleep," she confessed. "Would you have solutions to cure insomnia, Seijuurou?"

"You haven't consulted in Tsukiyomi? I was pretty sure you promised her that if you had any problems, you'd talk to her first."

"I did and as sweet as she is, her medical recipes aren't very effective or comforting, especially for sleeping. And to be quite honest, I think that these drinks are the reason why I can't get any sleep. Speaking to you is like a last resort type of person."

The redhead smirked at the response and found it rather amusing yet concerning at the same time. Now thinking of a way for Junko to keep her health in check, he'd thought it'd be fun to make her do something that she would dread.

"Tire yourself out," he said flatly.

"Eh?"

"Tire yourself out, Kasumi," he repeated. "I'd rather you make yourself exhausted rather than take any pills so do this for a solution."

"You are being vague, Akashi Seijuurou. Do you mean to exhaust myself by the means of working out until I faint?" Junko asked, wary of Akashi's probably hidden agenda… or so she'd like to call it that but in a general manner in her case, he had nothing to really hide.

"I wouldn't exactly say faint but until you can't feel your limbs anymore."

"But you know that my attention span has shortened for working out has lessened to only an hour and a half!"

"It used to be three hours."

"That was when I was a child! I have more of a life than to make myself drained of any energy."

Akashi sighed but smiled slightly at being able to rile up his childhood friend. "Try to keep quiet, Kasumi. I'm pretty sure your parents are still sleeping."

"Sorry… But you know what I mean. The only time I can focus on something for a long period of time is on tests, watching people, and doing something fun."

"Or challenged. I am quite aware but you'll have to learn how to keep it together for a whole day. If you can't do that before you come back from America, I'll personally see to it myself that you will." A groan of complaint was heard from the other side of the phone.

"Fine. I'll train myself… Wait, how did the conversation get to here?! Weren't we speaking of a way to cure my insomnia?"

"It is a cure. A very painful cure," Akashi stated monotonously.

"Mooovvviiinnng on, how do you like Teikou, Seijuurou?" Junko asked, successfully changing the subject.

"The teachers prove to be exceptional in their subjects and the curriculum isn't to bad as far as I can tell. I am ahead as I should be though," the redhead explained.

"And as expected of you. What about basketball?"

Akashi pondered the question for a minute or so before answering. "Everyone is strong and the coaches know what they are doing. The other freshmen with me in the first string are quite intriguing as well as having exceptional skills. I find it more suitable though for you to find out about them on your own time when you come back," Akashi suggested.

"Or I can do intensive research on them from now up to the end of the school year here."

"Saying that you can figure out what they look like and knowing who they are," Akashi retorted.

He heard a huff of playful irritation from the girl halfway around the world. "You are underestimating me, Seijuurou. Any known information available now, I can find within a day or even three hours."

"Impress me," the redhead taunted, a smirk painting his face once more.

"Challenge accepted," Junko said in English. The boy with crimson hair heard a squeak of a mattress and a rustle of heavy cloth, most likely her blankets, from the phone. The familiar sound of a keyboard clicking sounded through his phone.

"I'll be looking forward to what information you will bring me, Kasumi," Akashi responded.

"You better use that information well too. I expect to hear the stories of screams and begging with the threats you will use on them. Don't deny you won't plan on threatening them either. I know you well enough that I can tell what you are thinking and whatever you have in your hidden agenda is no longer hidden to me."

"Was that how you always thought of me? A scheming and sadistic person who enjoy threatening others?" the vice-captain asked sarcastically.

"I think that answer is already known to you nor can I really deny it now, can I? Now please, I have work to do."

"Three hours, Kasumi," Akashi reminded.

"Three hours," Junko repeated as confirmation. The phone disconnected and Akashi snapped his phone shut, placing it in his bag once more. He walked out of the school gates, his face as stern as ever but to those who are observant enough could see a glimmer of excitement in his ruby red orbs.

Behind a building not too far away from the gate, four heads of different colors peeked from behind a wall as they watched the redhead walk away.

"That… was kind of odd," Aomine murmured. His shoulder released as Akashi disappeared from sight.

"Aka-chin smiled a lot but not in a sadistic or scary way," Murasakibara added.

"So this is the 'Aka-chin' you've told me about, Atsushi? And the way you said that makes him sound scary despite how attractive he looks," an unfamiliar girl with silver hair reaching her waist asked. Amethyst eyes looked up curiously at the purple girant for confirmation.

"That's right Ara-ching," Murasakibara answered.

"Ara-chin?" Momoi asked.

"I am Ciara Thalia Corona. It's a pleasure to meet the both of you… or so I'd like to say if I wasn't knocked down earlier." The girl with silver-white hair massaged her hips lightly, flinching slightly in pain to her own touches.

"Sorry 'bout that," Aomine apologized. "I was in a rush I guess. Do you need any help with anything? I kind of want to make up for that."

"Aomine-kun, when did you become a gentleman?" Momoi asked, surprised.

"Since you're always around me Satsuki. I don't want to face the wrath of a witch when I get home," Aomine replied only to receive a smack on his head.

"Aomine-kun!"

Ciara chuckled lightly at the two. She gently grabbed onto Aomine's arm and pulled the tan boy to her, his arm being hugged to her chest.

"Oi, what are you doing?" the boy with cobalt blue hair asked. Ciara hugged his arm a little tighter, her large bust (almost as large as Momoi's) pressing lightly onto his arm.

The tanned teen felt a small amount of heat racing up to his face. He thanked his mother for giving him such dark skin and that it was late that night.

"If you really want to make it up to me, you can buy me lunch next week. Deal?" Upon closer inspection, the girl had darker skin than Aomine by a shade or two and her eyes were more of a lavender color than violet. Her eyes along with her hair contrasted greatly against her skin that she looked astounding, especially in the night.

"Um… sure," he agreed absentmindedly, distracted by Ciara's mesmerizing eyes.

"I'm Momoi Satsuki and this idiot right here is my childhood friend, Aomine Daiki," Momoi introduced cheerily.

"Oi, Satsuki!"

"It's nice to meet you Momoi-san, Aomine-san. You can call me Ciara if you'd like. I forgot to mention earlier that my name was first name first, last name last."

"You don't have to be so formal, Ciara-chan! I thought you were a bit different too. Are you a foreigner?" Momoi asked.

"That's right! I'm half African, half Italian and was born in America, moving here when I was seven, meeting Atsushi a year after I moved to Japan," she explained.

"That's nice and all Ara-chin but weren't we talking about Aka-chin?" Murasakibara said with disinterest all the while eating from a bag of potato chips.

"I do wonder who that person was on the other side of the phone… Akashi-kun doesn't usually express that many smiles with us. Even though he's nice, Akashi-kun is quite distant from everyone," Momoi noted, placing a finger on her chin.

"He looks pretty handsome though, as if he could get along with anyone," Ciara said with interested eyes.

"Please don't be as shallow as some people I know who only fall for the looks and wealth of a person, Ciara-chan," Momoi deadpanned as she remembered past discussions with some of her friends. "Plus he's a rather sharp and scary person if you get on his bad side."

"Don't worry about it, Momoi-chan. I have more sense than that. I was just noticing his looks," Ciara reassured while waving her hand in a fashion as if it was nothing to worry about.

"Should we check his cell phone when we come back?" Aomine asked. "Nevermind, I don't want to die," he answered himself immediately after asking his question.

"We should be leaving too," Momoi said as she looked at the time on her phone. "It's nice meeting you Ciara-chan. We'll see you later, Mukkun." Murasakibara nodded in acknowledgement while Ciara waved goodbye at both Momoi and Aomine as they left the school campus.

"Ara-chin is seducing Mine-chin to just get free lunch again~" the purple giant stated with boredom.

Ciara giggled at her friend. "Looks like I'm caught red handed. Don't worry Atsushi, I won't do anything bad. I'll give you some sweets though if you keep quiet," Murasakibara nodded in understanding and continued munching on his chips.

* * *

It was 7:40 p.m. in Japan when Junko had accepted the challenge of finding out the personal information of Akashi's teammates.

The redhead was in his room finishing some research about bacteria for his research paper for his science class. It was now 10:00 p.m.

After finishing his research, Akashi logged onto his e-mail, surprised to get two messages that night which was rare. The tope message titled in the inbox was just an advertisement of a local department store. The title of the message underneath it as well as the sender was what caught his attention.

The topic read: _2 hours and 15 minutes!_

Akashi smirked. It meant that Junko had finished her research at 9:55 p.m. in Japan's time zone.

Using his mouse, Akashi left clicked on the e-mail to open it up.

* * *

_Hello Seijuurou!_

_Calling again costs too much money so I'm e-mailing. But hah! I finished the challenge in two hours and 15 minutes! Impressed? The following notes of the three with you right now are in the below word documents. I found out that another freshman will be joining you soon too but I didn't know if he counted so I didn't send him to you (oh yeah! I researched four people instead of three!) I believe his name was Haizaki or something like that._

_I also have something else to ask._

* * *

Akashi stopped reading for a second, curious of what she wanted.

* * *

_How strong do youthink you guys are? From what I've read, you guys are at a good step above average but I'm sure there are middle school kids of the same or higher level. Will you be able to defeat them with no problem with your current - and perhaps even your improving - strength? Just wanted to ask._

_Your friend,_

_Junko Kasumi_

_P.S. I miss talking to you in person 3_

* * *

"It seems that you have exceeded my expectations in this by thinking of these questions, Junko Kasumi," Akashi said to himself. Was the team ready though, as she had asked? He'll just have to wait and see once they begin playing official games.

As of for the post script… He'll have to think of an appropriate response for that one later.

* * *

The rumors of Haizaki joining the first string spread like a wild fire when the next week of school started. Kuroko looked upon his fellow third string members as he overheard the news.

After weeks of puking and hard training, he finally was able to adjust to the raining regime without turning into a shaking mess.

By the time the conversation of the first string was about to conclude, the opened doors of the gym allowed them to see the passing team of first string members walking their way to their next match.

After another week of not being promoted however and showing no signs of improvement, Kuroko held back his tears and held his head high. Looking back at the letter in hand, he vowed to train even harder.

During these weeks, Akashi, Midorima, Murasakibara, and Aomine found themselves getting closer in more of the terms as teammates but it has allowed them to know each other's minds better and improve their play together as well.

* * *

"There's a rumor going around recently… A ghost has been showing up around there," Momoi exclaimed to Aomine who only looked at the pinkette as if she was crazy.

"What? Quit joking around Satsuki," Aomine reprimanded.

"I'm telling you it's true! They said that after practice ends and there aren't any people, you can hear the sound of a ball in the third string gymnasium…"

The tanned-skin teen waved the story off and had decided for himself to prove the rumor wrong by going to the gym after practice. He walked away without another word and spun a basketball on his index finger.

Two of Momoi's friends approached the pinkette asking if Aomine had a girlfriend in hopes of having a chance. Momoi on the other hand could not understand why they would want to date her childhood friend, due to her experiences with the boy. When Akashi bumped into one of them and apologized for his actions in a polite and gentleman-like manner, they squealed once more at the popular freshmen regulars.

Midorima however, who was present of all this, noticed Akashi's unusual clumsiness. When they exited the gym into the quiet hallway, Akashi's face became stern with concern.

The spectacled boy decided to voice his thoughts out.

"… You've been getting lost in your thoughts quite often recently, Akashi."

"Hm?" Akashi hummd in realization he was being spoken to. "Ah, I suppose so."

"Is it about the national championship?" Midorima asked.

"That's right," the vice-captain answered. "Although we attained victory, it's not as though we didn't have a few risky moments.

"When we consider next year and the year after, out current situation can't be considered stable. The coach and captain were concerned as well."

"Is it not enough to just improve our skills?"

"Regarding the strength of our plays, it's not as though we have a problem, even now…" Akashi paused before continuing. "Our team's strategy is too straightforward. Therefore, there are times when our reactions towards surprise attacks are too slow."

_Will you be able to defeat them with no problem with your current - and perhaps even your improving – strength?_

"What I want is change… For example, a sixth man who can conveniently change the flow of the game when we want. I want that kind of player."

* * *

"Whoa!" A scream resounded from the supposedly empty third string gym.

Aomine crouched down at a corner of the gym, his body shaking uncontrollably and his hands over his head.

"Pardon me, who are you?" a voice behind the tanned boy asked. Light blue eyes widened in realization to who he was talking to, allowing him to answer himself. "Aomine-kun?"

Aomine stopped shivering and slowly looked behind him only to find a much shorter boy with pale skin and baby blue hair and eyes. "How do you know who I am?" Aomine asked, slightly confused.

Kuroko smiled slightly at the thought. "You are well known throughout the basketball club, Aomine-kun." The shorter teen then explained why the rumor was about, because he had asked for the permission to use the third string gym even after practice until it was time for the school to close.

"…Huh, so you've been staying overtime every day to try and get promoted. Wow, there'aren't many guys who go that far in even the first string," the taller teen stated with awe threading his voice. He took a look around the court quickly before determining his thoughts of Kuroko.

"Alright, I've decided!" Aomine exclaimed suddenly, confusing Kuroko.

"Eh?"

"I'll practice here with you every day from now on! And then one day, let's stand on the same court together!" Aomine grinned and lifted a fist to Kuroko.

"Are you sure it's alright?" the boy with the lighter blue hair asked.

"Stupid, there's no right or wrong! Didn't I tell you, you can't be a bad guy if you like basketball?!" Aomine responded. The answer made Kuroko smile and create a fist of his own to bump against Aomine's.

The next few weeks on his way to school, Aomine beamed at the prospect that he had found someone who was truly dedicated to the sport he loved.

"Aomine-kun, you look like you've been having fun lately," Momoi noted at his happy expression.

"Ah, I guess so," he admitted. "I found a guy who loves basketball. He might even like it more than me."

"Huh…" Momoi wasn't entirely sure how to respond but to see her childhood friend grin so brightly made her heart feel warm.

Meanwhile in the third string gym, the results of those who were supposed to be promoted to the second string came up but… no names were called for promotion.

"I want all of you to think about what you're missing when you're practicing. That's all!" the third string coach announced. The students began to walk away to change their clothes, disappointed in themselves.

Kuroko would have left too, completely defeated if the third string coach did not call him over.

"Let me tell it to you straight," the coach began. "Our club's impossible for you."

"…Eh?" Kuroko was shocked. He was speechless. What he heard couldn't be true.

"Compared to the other clubs, ours has an overwhelming number of members. And within these members, only a tiny handful ever gets to play in a match. Because of this, I'm recommending that the members who scored the lowest five in the third string test drop the club. I know that you've worked hard up until now. Even so, your score rank relative to the others has gone down."

Kuroko's face tilted downwards, his bangs covering his eyes, not knowing how to respond.

"This is not an order. It's up to you to make the decision," the coach added. "However… I want you to understand that it'll be near impossible for you to ever play in a match.

It was when Kuroko redressed and was on his way home did he absentmindedly walk to the closest park with a basketball court. He stood in front of the pole of one of the baskets, silently standing there, rethinking of his actions and what he was told.

The memories of his coach telling him that he had no chance in playing… the letters he received from his childhood friend… the promise they made… the promise he made to Aomine… the times he had spent with the tanned-skinned boy to try and become better.

_"One day, let's stand on the same court together! Tetsu!"_

Kuroko pursed his lips together and looked at the sky. After several seconds, he allowed his mouth to relax as he was struck with the final realization of his abilities.

"…I'm sorry…" Kuroko whispered, as if talking to his childhood friend and Aomine. "…But I no longer know what I should do."

He leaned his forehead against the cushioned pole of the basketball net. Slowly he slid down, his forehead against the pole and his body slumping as tears began to stream down his face.

"What should I do…?"

* * *

"Huh?! Wait, why?!" the voice of Aomine questioned in shock.

"I love basketball. But…" Kuroko began, unsure at first of what to say, "It's already been half a year since I joined the club… If I'm not suited for basketball, then I suppose there's nothing I can do. Especially here, in Teikou Middle School… I can't imagine I can ever be of any use to the team."

"…" Aomine watched Kuroko with narrowed eyes, disapproving of the thoughts the shorter teen was having. "There's no such thing as a useless player on a team," he then said, surprising Kuroko. "Even if you can never play in a match… I can't stand to think that a guy who stays later than the first string… stays later than anyone to practice is completely useless.

"At least for me, I see what you're doing and respect you for it. It's made me want to try harder too. I won't say you'll definitely be able to do it if you don't give up. But if you do give up, then there'll definitely be nothing," Aomine stated, his gaze serious.

Kuroko remained silent, not entirely convinced of what Aomine had told him. Tortuous, long second passed and still no response.

The atmosphere was more or less broken though when the sound of the double doors opening squeaked behind Aomine.

"Aomine," the familiar, commanding voice called for from the doorway. Aomine looked behind him to see the vice-captain of the basketball team, Akashi Seijuurou, standing at the door.

Akashi walked into the gym with Murasakibara and Midorima following shortly after. "I thought I hadn't seen you around recently, but it seems you were here," he gathered as he looked at the teen with cobalt blue hair and tanned skin.

"Ah, the other gym has too many people…" Aomine explained, a bit unsure of what to really say.

"Well, I don't mind where you choose to practice but-" Akashi had cut himself off, realizing there was another person in the room. "Who is he?" the redhead asked, his eyes observantly staring at Kuroko.

"Oh… we always practice together," Aomine replied.

"Huh~ I don't remember there being a person like that~" Murasakibara noted, a bit confused.

"It's because he's not in the first string," the tanned teen cleared.

"Huh~ … I see." Murasakibara nibbled on a single stick of Pocky. "Hey~ Let's go already~"

"…No. Wait," Akashi paused. "I'm a littler interested in him. Fascinating… I've never seen his type before." Midorima looked at the redhead as if something was wrong with his eyes.

'_What are you saying, Akashi…? I highly doubt he's a good player,' _Midorima thought. From what he saw, the small bluenette was weak in physique and he lacked a presence, making him hard to notice. Despite these thoughts, Akashi saw something else within these traits.

"It may be possible that he is hiding a talent entirely different from our own," Akashi declared. Kuroko stood there, slightly stunned.

'_Could it be? Are you saying it's him?'_

"Would the rest of you mind going back ahead of us?" Akashi asked, his full attention now on the light blue-haired boy in front of him. "I want to talk with him for a bit."

On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, California, United States of America, a girl with ebony hair tied back into a single braid, cerulean blue eyes, and glasses she usually doesn't wear, looks up at the sky as the wind changes course.

She blinked several times in confusion and curiosity at the strange feeling.

"Hey, Kasumi! Is something wrong?" a deep, masculine voice asked in English. Junko looked at the muscular, tall, redhead in front of her with slanted eyes.

"Can't you be more polite, Taiga?" she spat back. To be quite honest, Junko liked everything about the boy named 'Taiga' in front of her except for the fact he was quite rude.

"Jeez, sorry! You don't have to be so vicious."

"I'll stop being vicious once you stop being rude." A chuckle sounded behind Junko and she looked behind her to see another taller teen boy with his bangs covering one side of his face.

"You two really like getting on each other's nerves," the black-haired male noted with an amused tone.

"Honestly Tatsu-kun, don't encourage him," Junko reprimanded dryly.

"You just have a bad temper with him," 'Tatsu-kun' retorted.

"I have a bad temper with the both of you being basketball idiots," Junko countered.

"Why don't you tell us why you were spacing out a bit there then, since you don't want to deal with the basketball idiot's side of us?"

"Wait a sec, Tatsuya! Don't just say I'm also an idiot!"

"But you are Taiga," Junko and the other black haired teen said simultaneously.

"Anyway… I just felt the course of fate has just changed," Junko explained. "It's weird, I know but the wind just felt different and thing tingling just rushed down my spine. I don't know why but, something has started. It's as if the gears of fate have begun to turn."

"That sounds like crazy, Kasumi," 'Taiga' bluntly said. "Enough about this fate stuff! I want to know what stats you got on me this time!... Please."

Junko giggled at the last minute politeness then looked at her clipboard. "You've improved a lot but you still need to work on your three pointers. You can't just dunk the ball in all the time."

'Taiga' grunted in annoyance. "Isn't dunks enough? Besides, they're a lot more fun to do."

"As much as I'd like to agree, we need to work on all the skills and we're lucky enough to have Kasumi here, even if it's only for one year, as well as Alex. Come on, let's play a one-on-one," 'Tatsuya' encouraged. The redhead grinned and raced the ebony-haired boy to the court to play another round of basketball.

* * *

_A/N: It must mean something when I upload three different updates in less than one week. I think it means I don't spend much time on my summer homework as I should be doing XP_

_First off, as many of you must have noticed, there is a new OC. Ciara Thalia Corona is an OC developed by Jasmine831 and requested for her to appear in the story and I have responded with a 'why not?' type of answer. She won't be showing much, to be quite honest even though she is supposed to end up with Aomine… We'll see how this turns out ;)_

_Next, I will not show up much for the next few weeks more than likely because I have band camp to attend from 4-8:30 p.m. to get ready for out next marching band season and I have family coming over next week as well as homework to finish._

_I kind of had fun with this chapter, especially when I wrote the beginning with the basketball scene. I don't even watch basketball all that much XP I just randomly found KnB and started watching it out of the blue only to find myself addicted to the series. I tried writing this chapter too on paper… Do not let me do this ever again because I could probably fill three chapters in a regular 70 paged lined notebook. That's not enough QAQ _

_I would also like to bring up a review that I got on my one shot, When All Hell Breaks Loose in an Amesment Park, which I have published recently. Allow me to say that Junko is not a self-insert as this anonymous reviewer (which I find quite interesting that this person is an anon) has implied:_

_':Ya know? The majority of KnB fans hate that Oc of yours but they keep silent.  
Get yourself a BF in the real life, goddamit'_

_I can't help but say that I am not convinced by whatever this reviewer is trying to say to me because one, the grammar, slang, typos, and cursing shouldn't be something to use when talking to others. I started writing Hold Me Close as a test run if my abilities to create a character of my own was acceptable. She is not a self-insert because gosh, I am not that scheming, airheaded, or as smart as her. I think of her as a complete different entity from my own mind and body. Plus I'm not desperate for a boyfriend either. I actually don't really care for relationships at the moment because I am addicted to writing and music at the moment. Music actually will stay with me forever._

_If there is something that no one likes of this story or you see something that I can improve on, please tell me. I want to write this fanfiction to the best of my ability and better if possible however I cannot always do that without proper feedback (and please be nice. I don't mind bluntness but there is a limit to what kind of typing or tone I will allow myself to read and pay attention too). I want reasons too, on why I should change this or improve on this; not just some dumbass (excuse my language) review that tells me they hate my writing style with no evidence, proof, examples, etc._

_Also understand that I'm writing for the love of writing so I don't really care if anyone hates my OC. If something's wrong with her I can fix her but I am not dropping this story. If so many people hated my story before, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten at least one review over five months ago and I might have dropped it then but not now. Now when I'm 11 chapters into the story._

_I know this review was on a different story but it's not like I am going to add another chapter that's actually going to be an author's note on there either. Plus it's about OC characters so I find it appropriate to address it on this chapter._

_I don't edit my chapters either so you can ignore whatever grammar and spelling errors you see unless it's major…_

_Advertisements:_

_I have recently written one new one shot and have finally finished a once unfinished one shot several days ago on different days. The first is called 'When All Hell Breaks Loose in an Amusement Park', a crack fic if you couldn't tell by the title and I'm quite happy with that one XD The next one shot is called, 'To Bring Forth', a friendship/hurt/comfort fic of Kuro-chan and Ogiwara-kun where they meet each other again a few days after Seirin's lost against Touou. It's an AU type thing but I think you guys will like it._

_Next is Infinite Skye's Scarlet which has just been updated recently. Oh, and Skye-san here's the summary of it on here! Akakibana Inori is a girl who loses face to Akashi Seijuurou, the captain of Teikou's basketball club and famously known as a Shogi champion. Upon several awkward and bonding meetings, she finds herself in love with the redhead or rather, the red that brightly contrasts against his skin, and confesses to him at the Summer Festival only to have received a lack of an answer. She later finds herself stalking him with his friends, the Generation of Miracles for he had accepted to go to a marriage interview to find that he was only doing it for business and diplomatic reasons and Akakibana was afterwards, asked out to be his girlfriend under the notion of her just being interesting. Later on in the summer, after some convincing by Kise, Akakibana then goes to the beach to help (with whatever help she could give) the basketball team as they go on their summer training on the beach undergoing some confessions of her feeling to the redhead yet others realized that she might not actually be in love at all but running away from someone who they presume is Akashi himself but it seems in Akakibana's case, her long, hated cousin._

_Next is Cherry0120's Just a Little Better than Revenge about Fujidana Hazuki, her OC and is the younger sister of Kiyoshi Teppei and wants revenge for her brother as well as slowly falls in love with Kuro-chan. It's still pretty new but it's cute~_

_Please drop a review, fav, and/or follow if you haven't already! If anyone has constructive criticisms or predictions for next chapter, please put it down! Thank you for reading everyone!_


	12. Chapter 11: Are You Sure He's Ready?

_A/N: And here is the next chapter for Hold Me Close! Meh, I feel lazy right now so the actual author's note will be after this chapter!_

_Thank you for reading!_

* * *

"Can I ask some questions?" Akashi asked the bluenette standing across from him. His crimson eyes were sharp yet there was no way anyone could tell what he was thinking among his stern and expressionless face.

Kuroko stood wide eyed, curious and a bit nerved to be noticed at all, especially by the famous freshman vice-captain of the basketball team. Questions were asked and were answered and soon, Akashi more or less found who he was looking for, for the past few months.

"I see, it's really interesting," the redhead concluded. "It's the first time I've seen someone like you… putting your all into basketball even though others can't see the results."

Kuroko froze and an aura of depression fell over him though the sight was somewhat comical. "Sorry…" the slightly smaller teen started, "but right now I don't take it well hearing these words."

Akashi waved his hands in slight panic seeing the blue bluenette. "Ah, sorry. There is no reason for you to feel like this," he assured. "You have a low motion faculty but your reflexes aren't that bad.

"I think you're not stupid and your sports IQ are rather high. The amount of training you do gives you plenty of experience. What I don't get though… is why when looking at you, I don't feel anything.

"This might be a special ability. It isn't usually that developed for humans. A special atmosphere, this is the strength I feel from you, that the vibe I get looking at you it's difficult to explain, but it doesn't limit itself from your everyday life only, for team sports, you have almost no presence for others. This is what makes you special; it then becomes an advantage… This is your strong point. This will become your greatest weapon and make up for your other weaknesses," the vice-captain explained, his face serious with what he was saying.

"My absence of presence is my strong point…?" Kuroko asked quizzically. "Is such a thing… even possible?"

Realizing that his explanation was a bit vague with what he was trying to point out, Akashi decided to take a different turn with his words. "My bad… Let me explain; I want to teach you this technique to complete our existing team. This would bring forth brand new possibilities

"I can't force you, the choice is yours. This is the first time someone manages to earn my trust, so I won't give up on teaching you. With this, you'd become my own assistant captain for the trainings. Which will you choose, heads or tails? The time is limited."

Kuroko looked down slightly, unsure if he could really live up to such expectations. Seeing the look upon his face, Akashi added, "As I said, I have expectations for you, so let me tell you. Firstly, except for this, you have to discard everything else to focus on making the technique work. Another thing, if it wasn't for this strong point, you yourself are weak. If not for this I wouldn't want you to join the team." Akashi grabbed his bag and began walking towards the door.

The smaller teen's head turned around, following the redhead with his cyan eyes, wondering if there was more. As he though this, Akashi added his last thoughts.

"Ah, lastly, don't consider these as hints but more as a useful solution. I dare say that up to now, no one has been able to pass my tests. This is why I'm here now, to propose a referral by the coach and captain, if you pass the test." Kuroko was left stunned and thoughtful of the proposal.

Akashi exited the gym only to notice a taller teen with green hair standing next to the door. "Midorima, did you eavesdrop on the conversation?" Akashi asked.

"I can't really say I'm pleased with your doings after I took a glance at him," Midorima answered and explained his thoughts, "But I'll leave it to you. Do you think he can really change?"

The redhead smiled to himself at the thought. "Who knows…" he replied. His eyes then slightly narrowed and a mysterious glint shone in his blood red eyes. "I feel this can be possible if only an outsider like a friend doesn't intervene. You'd have the courtesy not to mention this conversation anymore."

Midorima kept his mouth shut after hearing what seemed like a threat.

"It'll make him ascend. This is a thread I want to form as soon as possible."

Kuroko held a basketball between both his hands and he looked up at the basketball net above him.

* * *

"Sounds like you found who you've been looking for," Junko said through the phone. She leaned her back against the tree trunk upon the school grounds of which she attended. She allowed the autumn breeze to gently blow against her face and savored the crisp cold air and watched the red, orange, golden, and chestnut brown leaves fly past her.

"Nothing is confirmed," Akashi reminded her, "but if he does pass, I want you to look up some things for me about him."

It was still early in the morning and barely any middle school students were arriving to the school and Junko absentmindedly watched them walk by with one strap of their backpacks slung over their shoulders.

"No problem~ Just give me the word and I'll be doing my research, Seijuurou. The fact that he has a low presence though… reminds me of someone. Are you sure we haven't met anyone with that kind of feature before?" Junko asked, furrowing her eyebrows knowing that she had encountered someone like that before.

"I already told you that I don't remember and if I did, I would have told you. I don't see the point to lie about something like this," Akashi told her sternly.

The blue-eyed girl sighed heavily at her friend's insistence. "If you say so. I'll talk to you next week then. The two basketball idiots that I have befriended are walking up and there is no doubt they are going to stop to talk to me. See… erm… Talk to you later!" Junko heard a chuckle in the background before the voice on the other line answered back.

"I will talk to you next week then, Kasumi." The phone was disconnected and Junko snapped her phone back shut before pushing it into her pocket. Once she looked back up, she found herself in a headlock by a redhead.

"Talking to your boyfriend I see," he teased in perfectly fluent English as he slightly tightened his hold around her.

"Kagami Taiga, you better release me if you want to see tomorrow!" Junko yelled at him in Japanese. She glared at him and was ready to get the nearest dog that was walking down the street to go and chase him.

Kagami released her quickly when he followed her eyes to see the larger German shepherd and raised his hands up in the air. "Okay, okay! You're free, happy?! Geez, all I did was put you in a loose headlock and teased you about your boyfriend!"

"Seijuurou is not my boyfriend Bakagami!" she yelled at him again, her face flushed. She grabbed her backpack and was ready to fling it at him. By the time it was right above her head, a hand gripped her wrist tightly while Kagami was already in a fetal position, bracing himself for impact of her unusually heavy bag.

"You shouldn't be using violence, especially at school, Kasumi," Himuro Tatsuya, the older teen reminded calmly as he held Junko's wrist. Slowly he let go of her wrist which she gently put down her backpack though her glare never left the very tall redhead that was now the shape of a ball in front of her.

Junko puffed her cheeks then sighed. "You're right, Tatsu-kun. It's not worth it with this idiot."

"Oi!"

"Let's go to class then, I have to ask my teacher some questions and you," her eyes landed on Kagami's tiger-like ones," better not drag me to the basketball court after class today. I have a test coming up and I need to study." She then walked away, a menacing aura emitting from her being.

Once out of earshot, Kagami let out a sigh he had held in. "You know Tatsuya, I get the feeling she got a lot more violent than when we first met her."

"That's because you always get on her nerves, Taiga," Himuro explained quite cheerfully with a smile worn on his face.

"What's with the way you say it?!"

* * *

The next day came and a student of the third string had approached their coach informing him that Kuroko was not going to quit and asked if they should do something. The coach paused before answering.

"No… It's too late. Leave it be."

Somewhere else in the school of Teikou Junior High, Aomine was walking down one of the hallways with a blank face until his name was called. He turned around to see Kuroko standing behind him with a new light sparkling in his eyes.

"I… I'll give it another shot," Kuroko told the tanned boy who looked at him in surprise. A large grin formed on his face and he lifted a fist to Kuroko.

"Nice!" They bumped their fists and it felt as if the spark of fate began with a tiny flame. "Then, I'll see you again after training!"

"Yes…!"

When you pass the three gyms of the basketball club for its three strings, all could hear the vigorous training done inside with the constant footwork of squeaking shoes and pounding basketballs as well of shouts and orders of what to do.

After each regular practice, Aomine would go to the third string gym to meet up with Kuroko to work on what Akashi had said to the smaller blunette.

During classes, Kuroko would start to go into his own little world as he wrote notes of what he could do as a player. There was written 'For the team' with an arrow pointing to a words written 'What can I do' which then pointed with another arrow towards the word 'passing' with it being circled.

'PG?' was written next to the circled word but then was crossed out because the position was meant for Akashi.

One night, Kuroko was walking with Aomine after school with them talking about basketball as they would always do.

"How is it going?" the tanned boy asked. "Have you found it already? The basket type Akashi told you about?"

"…Not yet," Kuroko answered hesitantly. "I'm still thinking."

"Don't you think Akashi is actually mocking you?" Aomine asked with a laugh.

"It's horrible," Kuroko answered since he felt as if it was something like that though on the side he muttered not to joke about the situation.

"What is Akashi-kun like?" the smaller teen asked since the topic just popped up.

"Huh? Ah, he's a good guy. He has a good head, and sees everything around him. I can't complain about him as point guard," Aomine explained.

"Then it must be wrong for me to aim for the point guard position," Kuroko said. He placed his chin between his curled up index finger and thumb. "It would make too much. This isn't the way for me to be most useful to Akashi-kun."

"Tetsu, you want to be a point guard," the taller teen asked.

"Akashi-kun told me he thought I could do something for the team. I'm not very good at shooting, so the only helpful thing I can do is either assists or passes…" Kuroko admitted dejectedly.

"Hmph, it's typical of Akashi. I might have a good idea," Aomine suggested.

"What do you mean?" the small bluenette questioned.

"Something like an awesome curving pass… Look at this, the banana pass!" The image of a basketball curving popped up in their minds.

"This is impossible," Kuroko said bluntly. They kept on walking a bit until Kuroko said, "Ah.

"Sorry, these is a novel I want," he told Aomine.

"Oh, then see you tomorrow," Aomine said, waving farewell and looked uninterested at the bookstore Kuroko was heading into.

Kuroko entered the small shop lined with tall shelves of books from recipes to how-to-do books and novels. He continued browsing the shelves looking for something.

Several minutes had passed before he came across a shelf that was labeled with a sign that said, 'Sports'.

He continued looking down the shelf until he found what he was looking for. There was a shelf covered entirely with topics about basketball from famous players to instructions of the basics and its origin. Kuroko furrowed his eyebrows, not entirely sure of what he wanted to get.

"_Firstly, except for this, you have to discard everything else to focus on making this technique work."_

The words that came from Akashi's mouth repeated in his head and as if something was tugging at his shirt, he looked to where the strange feeling was coming from. His eyes widened at the title of one book that had caught his attention.

"_Except for this strong point, you yourself are weak. If not for this I wouldn't want you to join the team."_

"_Something like an awesome curving pass."_

As if finding what he was seeking, he stared at the cover of the book intently, ready to try whatever what was written in it, out.

* * *

"So, any news from that boy you want to recruit?" Junko asked. "It's been a few months since I last heard of him. What's going on?"

Akashi looked through his window at the dark sky that hung above Japan. "So far, all I know is that Aomine has been training with him after our normal practices. He seems pretty pumped up recently so I'm a bit intrigued of what's going on. I have a good vibe coming from them," Akashi answered confidently. He continued staring at the night sky above him blankly as very few stars looked down upon the city of Tokyo.

"Ooh! That sounds like a good sign! I can't wait to hear the results, especially since you have so much confidence in him. What do you expect from him then?"

The redhead smirked as he continued to stare at the sky. "I expect him to surpass my expectations."

* * *

A practice matched occurred within the third string gym. Shoes squeaked and shouts were heard all over.

"Watch your surroundings!" the coach yelled out, informing them on what they should improve on. A member blinked for one second only to find his mark disappearing. He turned his head not to see anyone at first but after taking a double-take, he was quite surprised and perplexed.

"Eh?!" He saw Kuroko running away from him. It was as if he was a ghost where no one could see him all that well.

A break was given and the other third stringer mumbled among themselves as they analyzed Kuroko's actions.

"Somehow recently, hasn't he become better?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, I thought so too. I wonder though… was he always so transparent?"

Several more after practice practices ensued with Kuroko wearing his long sleeves a winter was among them and he practiced his dribbles and shots only to fail each time. However when it came to 'disappearing' and passing, there seemed to be no problem whatsoever.

When small leaves began to sprout upon the tress and the clouds became less apparent in the bright blue sky, it was a time where Kuroko's hard work would be tested to see if they would pay off or not. He headed towards the first string gym that morning when morning practice was occurring.

He walked up to a tall teen with spikey, brunette hair.

"Uwaa!" he screamed.

"Ano, I am looking for someone," Kuroko explained, unaffected by the boy's reaction.

"Wh-… Who?" the boy asked.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko answered briefly.

"Akashi?" The boy looked around for the redhead boy which wasn't too hard considering his hair was as bright as a glimmering ruby in the sun. "Hey, you have a visitor Akashi," the boy called out.

Kuroko nodded to the redhead who nodded back in acknowledgement. Light blue eyes shone with determination yet uneasiness as he looked at the vice-captain. He was ready for whatever test Akashi had planned for him.

"…Hello, Kuroko-kun. You made me wait," Akashi said with a small smile of reassurance on his lips.

"I apologize for the long wait, Akashi-kun."

"It's been three months. Did you find the answer?" he asked.

"Yes," Kuroko replied.

"Then-"

"Err… Before that, I have a request please," Kuroko hesitantly suggested. Akashi looked at him, his eyes widened a bit in surprised but nodded to his request. "If possible… is it alright not to show it before there is a match?"

Akashi stared at him with a bewildered look but liking his approach to the situation, he smiled with amusement.

"Alright. I'll listen to your request."

Akashi walked up to a taller teen with black hair and asked him something that was inaudible for Kuroko to hear.

"Ah? You were talking with some buy before…" Nijimura recalled. Akashi glanced behind him quickly, pointing out who he was talking about. Nijimura looked in the same direction and his face became distorted with disbelief.

"Really? Him?!" he exclaimed quietly. He paused momentarily before giving his approval.

"I'll give him my referral and get the coach's," Akashi said. "It's as I promised him."

* * *

"You shouldn't be up this late, Kasumi," Akashi reprimanded lightly at the girl on the other side of the phone. "It should be around eleven o'clock where you are."

"And it's around seven o'clock where you are, Seijuurou. Don't worry, I just woke up to go the bathroom and afterwards, I realized that I haven't called you yet so I thought it would be safe to call you without getting you in trouble," Junko countered cheerfully.

Akashi sighed at her antics but didn't stop her, feeling that it was okay to tell her the situation from earlier that morning.

"It seems that he's ready to take the test," he informed her causing a quick squeal of excitement from her side.

"Really?! I can't wait! I swear, each time I've been calling you for the past weeks, I haven't been able to get this guy off of my head because one: I still feel that I've met him before and two: he sounds like a really interesting guy! So will your captain and coach see him later today?" she asked.

"They will. I have everything ready to go already. The second string will go against the third string in a practice match and it'll be a test to see who has improved though mine, the captain's and the coach's focus will be on him specifically since this is on my request," the redhead explained.

"I see. Well, I hope he's the one you've been looking for. A strong team is needed to make you stronger and if a having a sixth man is needed then so be it. If he really is as talented as you say then I can hope to expect Teikou to take the country by storm, no?"

Akashi smirked at the question. "Why shouldn't we? For this school, it is necessary to win everything so I see why we shouldn't put our all when we play. Do you have any objections to the school's objective, Kasumi?" He could hear the smile forming on her face.

"Why would I? Everyone wants to win, don't they? Doing your best, working hard, and paying off all that hard work by winning is worth it in the end. Well, don't go too harsh on the ones that you know you can easily defeat. We wouldn't want any basketball clubs to disband if they can grow and improve their skills if they put their mind and body into it."

"Exactly. I have to go. School is going to start in a while and I'd like to get to class on time. I'll inform you on all of this later," Akashi assured before disconnecting his phone and headed to his classroom, a smile beaming from his handsome face that some girls swooned at as he walked by.

* * *

Later that day, the third string and second string got together in the second string gym, assigned members wore their practice jerseys to the court.

Small talk and chats were heard across the gym as they pointed out to the two figures that were known throughout the school standing a meter or so away from the sidelines as they were discussing something about the basketball members they saw in the gym at that moment.

"What are they doing here?" a student asked as they looked at the captain, Nijimura, and the first string coach, Sanada.

Akashi approached Kuroko who was wearing a jersey and was ready to go out and play.

"Today is the combination training for the second and third string. We have to avoid any confusion," he told the bluenette. "Let's confirm it: the test style of a game with the second string members against the third string members, 5 versus 5. Show us what you can do.

"First, win. Also, the coach and captain will assent your way of playing. These are the passing conditions," Akashi informed. "Furthermore, there are exceptions within exceptions for this test. This is the last chance for EVERYONE." The emphasis on the last word wasn't all that big but it was heard nonetheless.

Kuroko adjusted his black wristbands so that they could feel comfortable. He took a deep breath in and slowly let it out.

"Then, good luck." Akashi walked away to where the coach and captain were standing, waiting patiently for the match to start.

"_How about you Kuroko? I'm sure if you work hard, you'll eventually make it."_ First it was from the letter; from Ogiwara Shigehiro, Kuroko's childhood friend.

"_I won't say this can be done if you don't give up but if you give up, nothing will be left."_ Then there was Aomine Daiki, Kuroko's newfound friend who seemed to love basketball as much as him.

"_I'll definitely be going to his games so maybe one day we'll see you on the court."_ Ah, and there was that one day in the winter where he met that one girl who said that she wanted to meet with him on the court in their second year when she returned from overseas alongside her friend.

He opened his eyes and narrowed them, ready to play with his sincere intentions of getting into the first string and being able to play with his friends, the people who he had made promises to, to play with and against them all.

The whistle sounded and the game began.

"Then, let's start the match between the second and third strings," the referee called. He threw the basketball into the air for tip off and the one member from each team jumped up to try and get the upper hand.

The ball first fell into the hands of the first string who dribbled the ball around him looking for an opening.

A second string member was focused on the ball that he didn't notice Kuroko running away from his sight. When he did start paying attention to his mark, he had disappeared. He shook his head around frantically, confused of what was going on.

Turning his head, number four of the third string looked behind him to see Kuroko wide open and his hands gesturing for the ball to be thrown to him. Seeing no other choice, the boy threw the ball to Kuroko who, instead of catching it like any regular player, quickly passed it on to his teammate to the right of him with a small flick of his wrist and a tiny push from his fingertips.

It was surreal. It was unbelievable. No one on the court noticed at first on how the ball suddenly changed directions though for those off the court and just watching, their eyes widened in shock as they saw the skill that was never seen before.

Akashi smiled, his front teeth showing at the skill Kuroko had begun displaying within this match. How could anyone not see the impressive and surprising talent within his being? This skill was exactly what he was looking for. He was the exact person to change the tides of the game when the going gets rough.

The advice from Akashi and the encouragement from his friends, Kuroko was already shot off to the top with the rest of the first string players.

Time kept on flowing and when Kuroko received the ball again, he pushed the ball towards the ground which then bounced off in the perfect angle to his teammate.

It was as if it magically fell into the hands of number four again.

"Wha… huh?" Sweat dripped down from his face as he tried to perceive of what just happen.

"Shoot it!" Kuroko yelled to him, snapping number four from his trance. He shot the ball into the hoop giving them another score.

"He made it! What the hell just happened?!"

"The pass suddenly curved?!"

"No, somebody changed its course with a tap. Um… er… That guy with no presence!"

"Are you serious?"

"The third string's pressuring the second string?!"

Nijimura was still stunned after the several displays of the magical and phantom-like pass. '_Hey, hey, what is this?! Sure, his pass is surprising but… Even so, no matter how little presence he has, how could we lose sight of him in the middle of a match?"_

"Misdirection…" Akashi suddenly spoke. His face was calm as he continued analyzing the situation. "It's a technique that people use when performing magic tricks to manipulate the audience's gaze," he explained.

"Magic tricks?!" Nijimura asked with suspicion.

"For example, if they make flashy movements with one hand to draw the audience's attention towards it, they can prepare for their next trick with their other hand. These techniques aren't necessarily limited to magic tricks either.

"The human eye has a bariety of quirks as well. If something moving fast and something moving slow enters our field of view, we will naturally follow the faster one. If a person in front of us suddenly looks somewhere else, we will also turn in that direction.

"'Misdirection' is the general term that refers to taking advantage of these slips to control how the opponent sees. For example, right before he makes a cut, he uses the movements of his own eyes and body to shift his mark's attention to the ball or other players. The final result combined with his own lack of presence makes him seem to disappear on the court like a phantom."

"I see…" Nijimura said, calming down from the explanation. "So… you already knew that it would turn out like this?"

"Not exactly," Akashi admitted. "He went in the direction I had predicted, but I didn't think he would incorporate misdirection…

"He went beyond my expectations." A smile of amusement formed on his face while Nijimura stared at him with wonder and Sanada kept his eyes on the match.

The end of the game came much sooner than expected, the score being 31 to 25 in the third string's favor.

Night fell upon the school but some of the staff of the school remained as well as club members from different extracurricular activities. Within an office, Sanada reported the match to a man seated in a chair, his back faced toward him.

"Your opinion, coach?" he asked.

"Hm…" The man in the chair was contemplating the results. "I see. I'll approve of this player's promotion to the first string."

Sanada was surprised but kept his composure. "Do you think it'll be alright? It's true that he is a very interesting player, but his basic abilities are below average… I don't know if he'll be on any use in an actual match," he informed his worried.

"Then we'll just have to try him out in a real match. If we can't use him, that's all there is to it. It's as Akashi says: What we desire is change. I can't deny that this player has the potential to be what we need. In the end, it all comes down to whether or not he'll be able to lead the team to victory. That's all."

The man looked to one side of the wall where a case of trophies among trophies and other awards related to basketball were found, shining against the dark and in the faint light of the moon.

* * *

"Eh?! Really?! He made it?!" Junko exclaimed in pure excitement.

"You're being noisy, Kasumi," Akashi scolded, sighing afterwards.

"Ah, sorry, Seijuurou. But seriously, he made? That's great! I should get researching as soon as I can but this morning I have an appointment with my eye doctor so I'll have to do that later," Junko explained as she dusted her pants off from the imaginary dirt that clinged to her.

"Please do. It'll be interesting if you could find anything about him at all," the redhead taunted.

"Honestly, Seijuurou, who do you think I am? Does he have that low of a presence that they would forget to enter in his information into the school system even though he's been attending the school for almost a whole year now? I'll get him, no problem!" she declared.

"I'll be looking forward to it then, Kasumi. We'll be starting practice tomorrow. I'll e-mail you the results of our first match in a few weeks."

"Understood, vice-captain! I'll be looking forward to that information as well!"

* * *

Back in the third string the next afternoon, the third string coach began to call out names of who will enter the second string.

"Shinta. That's all for the players promoted to the second string," he concluded for that group. "And finally, Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko's eyes widened in surprise though a part of him was expecting it.

"You'll be joining the first string from today on." The teen nodded in understanding but stayed silent.

Murmurs of disbelief and shock had spread like a wildfire within the group of people as they wondered how such an achievement could be accomplished by someone as Kuroko who had the weakest physique and stamina out of all of them. The coach dismissed them and most of them went back to go take a shower, change and go home, all did except Kuroko.

The coach called him over and spoke. "I heard from the coach. I know you've worked harder than anyone, and when the opportunity was presented to you, you took it. So of course, I have no objections either. Do you best."

To hear such words from his coach that he had been with for so many months and at one point, told him to quit if he chose to, was more than shocked and more than just touched. He smiled confidently and nodded in understanding and appreciation.

"Yes!"

"Excuse me! Is Kuroko-kun here?" called a girl as she walked into the gym. Momoi walked in with her pastel pink hair up into a high ponytail.

"Um, that's me," Kuroko raised his hands slightly to get the girl's attention.

"Eh? Er… Ah… WAIT, WHAT?!" She then regained her composure from her sudden fright as the boy introduced himself and appeared from thin air. "You'll be joining the first string starting today… Eh? Really?"

'_Is this really the guy Dai-chan told me about?! You've got to be kidding! He's seriously got no presence! I didn't make a mistake, did I?!'_

"L-like I said, you'll be joining the first string, beginning from today. I'll guide you to the first gymnasium… Okay?" Momoi stuttered, unsure of what was really going on at this point.

"...? Yes," was all Kuroko answered though confused at the manager's behavior of her own confusion.

She then walked out with the bluenette following her, keeping his distance by a couple of meters to the more pristine gymnasium of the first string. An awkward silence fell upon the two as they walked towards the gym.

"Excuse me, I brought Kuroko Tetsuya-kun," Momoi announced as she and Kuroko entered through the double doors of the large building. Sanada looked their way but did not say anything.~

"Cool, thanks," Nijimura said however without much interest at that moment.

"Hey, you finally made it, Tetsu!" Aomine greeted excitedly, a large smile planted on his face.

"Hey... I was waiting for you," Akashi added with a serene smile of his own to the newest member of the started to look in Kuroko's direction including Murasakibara, Midorima and the rest of the first string, strong stares of much to little interest upon him.

"Welcome to the Teikou Basketball Club's first string." The small teen stared at all of them and stiffly stood in place from under the intimidating glances and auras emitting from the members.

"Emgrave this into your very being. From this moment onwards, you have but one mission - to win."

"Huh~? He actually came~?" Murasakibara asked with his usual bored voice.

Midorima stared at Kuroko with a straight face but the slight hint of disbelief was still etched on him, even if only a little. _'He apparently passed the special test and was even approached by the coach but... I still can't believe it.'_

"Yo~!" a new voice greeted from the entrance. All heads turned to the newcomer who was as tall as Aomine and had grayish, spikey hair. He was putting on his basketball shoes while one of his hands were in the air to greet the people inside the building.

"You're late, Haizaki," Akashi said, obviously displeased with the other teen's untimely arrival.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be more prompt next time," Haizaki said with no sincerity in his voice whatsoever. He continued walking onto the court until he bumped into someone.

"Yowch!" Screeched from surprise.

"Excuse me," Kuroko apologized for bumping into the gray-haired teen.

With another person in shock and the bluenette introducing himself once more, the club members began their practice. Sweat dripped off their faces and lightly pooled the waxed floor beneath them. By the time they were done, everyone was sweating to the countryside own shirts were stuck onto their bodies. Kuroko felt the worst from the newfound training well.

When he came to stop in his tracks, he felt his stomach churn tightly making him feel sick and lightheaded and the acids within him were ready to explode out like a volcano. Clutched his abdomen and kneeled, doing his best to Hold in recommit before it could stink the gym.

Aomine had Momoi get him a bucket for Kuroko to puke in. Meanwhile, the rest of the club members of the first string headed showers and locker room to change their clothes and go home afterwards.

* * *

"Naw~... He's no good," Murasakibara concluded as he he too out his next candy bar laying st rest in his locker. "Even though it was his first day, wasn't he pathetic? I kept thinking about crushing him."

"Ah, same here. Watching him pissed me off," Haizaki added while taking off of his shirt.

"I wasn't really talking to Zaki-chin you know," Murasakibara said, a maibou in his mouth.

"What? Are you picking a fight, fucker?!" Haizaki questioned, clearly angered at the purple giant.

"Stop it, you guys," Midorima warned, annoyed by the two' s bickering. He then turned his face in the dIrection of the redhead. "...But I can't help but agree with them when it comes to Kuroko. Is he really going to be alright?"

Akashi began buttoning up his shirt as the spectacled boy asked him of Kuroko's... well, everything about him. "Well, I thought it might turn out like this..." the redhead answered with a solemn smile on his face. "Although, it's true that there'll be problems if he can't keep up with the minimum practice. We'll just have to make him work hard... Other than that, he'll simply have to prove himself in real matches."

"Real matches?" Midorima questioned. "Are you actually planning on letting him play?"

Nijimura looked their way surprised by the inquiry. He was about to leave the room but stopped in his tracks and stared at Akashi with slight irritation. "What, Akashi? Have you not told them yet?" He sighed then added, "This time of year, our district always has the top ten schools compete in a tournament together. It's an informal competition, but the games gets more heated than a normal practice match."

"I already know," Midorima informed. "It's next week, isn't it?"

"Yeah... but our school usually takes out two strong players. We place limiters on ourselves to make the competition more exciting... not that we'd tell the other schools." Nijimura narrowed his eyes before he continued. "Our restraint this year is 'first years only'. Up until now, we've always rotated upperclassmen into the starting members, but this time, it'll be you five playing."

Midorima's eyes widened in bewilderment by the explanation and the information was given surprised or just a small amount of interest in the subject by Murasakibara, Haizaki and Akashi.

"We'll be on the bench, so if worsts come to worst we'll sub in. But if that happens to be the case, you should prepare yourself for a demotion." There was a pause where Nijimura allowed the first years within the locker room to have his words soak into their minds. "Also, one more thing. Since he's a freshman, we'll have Kuroko play as the sixth man. However if we can't use him, he'll be demoted immediately."

* * *

"Who is this guy?!" Junko screeched through the phone. Akashi kept a distance away from the phone so that he wouldn't go deaf.

"Did you have amnesia and forgot that our new member's name is Kuroko Tetsuya?" Akashi asked, knowing that the girl would fume over such a question.

"As if! What I'm saying is that for whatever reason, there's barely any information on this guy on public records. I have date of birth, parents' names, school, what year he's in in middle school, and age but that's it. There's no records of his grades, health, dislikes, likes, fears. I have his address of where he lived and the measurements when he was in grade school but I'm pretty sure he grew so I don't know his height or weight as of now and what's worse is that there are no pictures of him whatsoever. It's like this guy is practically invisible or doesn't even exist. Are you sure his parents are in some sort of mafia or are spies of some sort?" she asked.

"Seeing that he uses misdirection naturally without any thought and is done quite well, I am and I am not surprised. You'll have to figure this out on your own then," the vice-captain said, amusement clearly threading his voice.

Junko groaned. "I'm glad I didn't make a bet with you this time," she mumbled, barely audible to the teen on the other side of the phone. If anything, Junko could see the smirk form on his face as she said that.

"True. In any case, you might not find anything until you come back. Is there anything new that happened in America that I should know about?" Akashi questioned.

The blue-eyed girl sighed at the first sentence but had let it alone. She then smiled knowingly of her own improving abilities. "I'm able to write a page and a half of notes of what I see in front of me in about a minute. Does that count for something?"

"Maybe," Akashi answered vaguely on purpose. Junko couldn't help but briefly laugh softly at the answer.

"Well, it's all in chicken scratch and in English where it's to the point that I'm the only who can read whatever I write fluently. Then again, I can see it as a good thing seeing that no one will be able to look into detail of what I write if they want to find a way to surpass my players."

"Your players?" the redhead inquired curiously.

"Yes, my players. Whoever I train based off of these notes I consider to be my own in a way where I will take care of them and watch them grow. Is that bad?"

A pause. Akashi pondered on his answer. Junko wasn't entirely a person who would grow attach to people so easily let alone a group of boys that all play basketball. If she were to attach herself to anyone, it would be to someone worth of skill.

"Does that mean you have actually found people worth getting know, even for a short period of time?" Akashi asked.

"Sounds like someone's jealous~"

"Do not assume how I feel, Kasumi."

"Pfft, whatever you say, Seijuurou. To answer your question though, yes, I have found a few outstanding people -two to be exact- here who are of Japanese decent and moved here from Japan who have been taught many of the strong fundamentals by a retired WNBA player. What does that tell you?"

"It tells me that you've been busy on improving them."

"They have potential but it wasn't much at the beginning. They once had an average player's skills but through the right training through Alex -the WNBA player by the way- and my analysis, they've been on a steady growth. I don't know if we'll ever see them in Japan though. I'd like to have your team or someone, most likely you, to go against them one day. It'll be an interesting one-on-one," Junko said absentmindedly.

"That does seem to be a disappointment but we can't control those factors all too well yet."

"Yet?" she asked.

"I wouldn't worry about such trivial things at the moment. There are still factors I need to discuss," Akashi said, changing the subject.

"Ah that's right, how was the practice for Kuroko-kun today?"

"It seems to be much more vigorous than that of the third strings. He puked today," Akashi informed.

"Oh... I'm guessing you've been already questioned this already but I'll ask anyway. Are you sure he'll be okay?"

"We can only see with his progress in practice. I will tell you that he will have to prove himself in next week's matches."

"You mean the ones you told me a while ago where the top 10 schools or something like that play against each other, right?"

"That is correct. That is when we shall see if he is truly useful in the first string," Akashi confirmed. Junko closed her eyes and let out a sigh, her eyes becoming serious as they gazed out of her window at the rising sun.

"Make sure that he truly passes your expectations. It'll be bad if his failure connects to your judgment causing others to question your decisions," she warned.

"I do not see that happening anywhere in the near future. As of yet, none of my decisions have led to a failure and I doubt that my decision to have Kuroko on the team will hinder any of our plays. He just needs the right push," Akashi countered.

"Heh, understood. It seems that you have much confidence in his abilities. I will also trust your judgment and learn from what I hear then."

"Good. I shall talk to you later than, Kasumi. I have some homework to finish up."

"And I'll leave you alone to finish it. In my case, good morning, Seijuurou."

"Good night then, Kasumi."

* * *

_A/N: I swear, I have more secret readers than I had anticipated. For so many of you to defend me just because of that one review that was on that one oneshot with the amusement park, I feel so happy and I want to hug you all :)_

_A but news have come. I shall be starting school on August 5 so I won't be updating much after this. I wanted to get this chapter done before school started so it might be a bit rushed (for about 8,000 words XP). I didn't really know what to do so I just added random (not really but...) conversations over the phone and I kind of wanted to develop Aomine's and Ciara's relationship since it's been a few months since Kuro-chan had talked to Akashi._

_I also added two chapters from the manga in here so that I can meet my quota of a minimum of 6,000 words per chapter. Those chapters, if I'm correct, is Q 206 and Q 207. Plus I wanted to fasten the pace of the Teikou arc a bit. I'll have a few filler chapters too just to work on relationships and more whatever I consider concerning stuff into the story._

_So yeah... I hope you guys like this chapter! Please drop a review below, fav, and/or follow, tell me what you think, and things like that! Until next time!_


	13. Chapter 12: I'm Home

_A/N: I'm back everyone! School has started and I have a lot of homework I should be doing but with some reviews and urges by some readers, I was able to get this chapter done!_

_Now to address some things, to anon-san who pointed out a way to change my prologue and saying that you will read this far, I thank you for your tip. Actually, I've wanted to change that chapter for a month or so now but haven't had the time to go about it nor did I have an idea on how to change it without changing too much content of what I have so far. Not only that but when I reread this story a month ago, I wanted to through the laptop at my wall because of how Mary Sue it was. I haven't looked at it since in shame of how it turned out…_

_Anyway, I apologize for my absence but as I have said before, school has started for me about two weeks ago and so I am brimmed with homework and Tumblr has turned into a distraction for me… Oh, I forgot to tell you guys that I have a tumblr now since over a month or two ago. I'll put a link on my profile later but if you want to search for me right away, my username is still the same as my pen name here, animefan106. _

_Well, Junko's going to go back to Japan in this chapter 0v0 Just not in the beginning if you must now~ I hope you like this chapter! Thank you for reading!_

* * *

A smooth, curved piece of wood was held between the thumb and the side of an index finger comfortably while the rest of the fingers curled into the palm, their nails almost poking into the skin. Another hand, the right, reached down to the quiver hooked into a jean pocket, taking out a single shaft.

One end of the carbon fiber shaft was given a nock and fletchings made out of plastic but almost mirrored the look of a feather, were attached to the circumference end of the carbon fiber. On the other end of the shaft was a pointed part, the arrowhead, twisted securely into it. The hand guided the nock of what turned out to be an arrow, snapping it onto the high-quality bowstring.

Right under the arrowhead, the shaft was placed onto the arrow rest that stuck out at the left side of the bow. Once that was in place as well, Junko placed the tips of her index, middle, and ring finger, protected by the finger tab, onto the bow string, about six centimeters under the nock. She then pulled the string back effortlessly from the unending upper body strength and arm strength through the training from a certain blonde who was once a WNBA player.

Sapphire eyes slowly shifted form the tip of her arrow to the target painted on the foam deer in front of her. Behind the deer were stacks of foam cushions against a wall as she was inside a building meant as an archery range as well as a store to sell equipment. Narrow walls surrounded the sides and were an off-white color decorated with posters of competitions held in the past years as well as pictures of the local team and individual photos of the instructors and staff with lists of their experience with modern day archery.

Junko straightened her posture, making her body stiff yet flexible like that of a house cat. Digging her feet into the hard floor, squeezing in her stomach but sticking it out a bit, and leaning her chest back slightly, she released the string causing a sharp noise to quickly reverberate off the walls. Within less than two seconds, the arrow had pierced through the ring right outside of the bulls-eye painted on the deer.

She scowled lightly in distaste. The archer was _this _close to hit the center of the target. Junko slid out another arrow and repeated the process. This time, however, she inhaled slowly as she pulled the string, ready to fire. She then closed her eyes, focusing her thoughts and silencing out the world around her. Eyelids quickly fluttered open as a butterfly does with its wings as it is about to take off.

Ocean-colored orbs narrowed and soon the arrow was released once more with the force of a lion and the speed of a hummingbird. In an instant, the second arrow had hit the bulls-eye directly in the center… Well, Junko saw she was a centimeter or two off but it wasn't like anyone could see as clearly as she could.

Disbelief quickly flashed across the female archer's face but it disappeared just as fast as it had appeared and turned into a triumphant smile. Junko wanted to cheer out but it was best for her to stay quiet as to not disturb the concentration of other archers beside her.

She pulled out her third arrow meaning that it would be her last arrow until her next turn after this end. Right when she was about to release the bowstring, a ringing echoed throughout the room causing everyone to jump. Some people ceased fire while others released the string without composure causing it to end up high into the ceiling or the wall. Junko was able to not fire by mistake but created a disgruntled expression upon her face.

Who was calling her at this time? She had hoped it wasn't Kagami demanding her to help him with basketball training. The tall redhead was truly a basketball idiot who had nothing else to do with his life but play basketball, eat, go to the bathroom, and attend school because he had to.

To her relief it wasn't the redheaded tiger yet to her surprise it was a complete different redhead altogether. What was Akashi doing calling her?

"Hello? Seijuurou?" she greeted with questions as she snapped open her phone.

"Are you busy Kasumi?" Akashi asked, his voice sounding a bit tired.

Junko looked around and mouthed that she was going to take a break to the other archers around her and walked out of room and outside into the rising heat of Los Angeles's spring.

"No, I'm not. Are you okay? You sound pretty tired, Seijuurou…" the archer said with a concerned voice. She leaned against the wall of the building and listened to the small signs of breathing on the other side of the line.

"I'm fine. What would you say if a new member for our string goes into his first game and from the feeling of pressure from the team and the audience, he falls down face down and then gets a nosebleed?"

"…" How was she supposed to answer that? Well, there were answers but she didn't expect this to happen at all. It was just really… abnormal.

"I'll also have to add that his passes do not seem to work with our teammates either. His timing is off with ours. It's a bit troublesome…" Akashi added with an inaudible sigh at the end.

"It seems that at the moment, Kuroko-kun has become a liability… Is it half time right now?"

"No, we just finished our first game. He was benched after it seemed that nothing seemed to be working. We have another game in a while so Coach is still planning on what to do," the vice-captain explained. Junko could only close her eyes in slight irritation at the situation.

"Where is he right now?" she asked, now rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"It seems that Aomine dropped his wallet and so he went to return it to him. Now looking back at it, I am pretty sure you know what is going to happen right?"

"Will that be enough to convince your coach and more so on Kuroko-kun?"

"Our coach is gullible in this kind of situation however for Kuroko, he might take some time. He is one to base his actions off of what others say to him however he can be stubborn and might not be convinced completely even if it is from Aomine."

Junko sighed and looked up at the sky with a dazed expression before speaking. "I don't know why you're telling me all this when you already know what you're going to do keep Kuroko-kun in track. It's not like you are obligated to report to me, Seijuurou."

"Would you like to know my actual intention with this call is?" the redhead asked.

"It would cool down my curiosity a bit so please go on," Junko encouraged intrigued what her childhood friend would tell her.

"Despite how clueless, airheaded, and obnoxious you can be at times, I have been accustomed to your behavior that it seems almost soothing. Other than to find some relief from my stress, I also find it pleasant to talk to you when everyone else has become a handful and I thought you'd want to know what is going on," he explained with no hesitance whatsoever.

The archer smiled softly and closed her eyes. "You really have no shame in what you say. And I appreciate it. For you to be considerate of what I'd like makes me happy, Seijuurou."

"If it makes you feel better, I will make sure things go accordingly. There is no need to worry about me and my position, Kasumi."

"There is no need for reassurance Seijuurou. Of all people other than yourself, I know you best and what you are capable of. My belief in you has not changed at all. You'll probably have to go soon. I think I can make an exception and receive another call from you later today since it feels important. I'll talk to you later, Seijuurou."

"Until then, Kasumi."

Junko snapped the phone shut and smiled grimly. "Even if you are surrounded by so many people, why does it seem you're so lonely? Even if I was there, would anything change?"

* * *

The second game for Teikou started that day. Teams came back from lunch fueled up once more for their next matches during the day. Teikou was about to go against another school called Naraba which seemed much more promising in terms of skill than their first match.

There were still some minutes before the game started and Aomine wondered where their captain was as he was absent from the benches at the moment.

"Huh? Come to think of it, where's the captain gone?" he asked an upperclassman.

"Oh, he should be back soon," was the older boy's answer. Just as he had said that, Nijimura came walking in with friendly sparkles following him as an unknown boy was being pulled by his color.

"Hey! I brought him!" Nijimura called out happily. The next thing you know, his face became serious and scary and the tone in his voice changed completely from frighteningly happy to rough and demanding as well as pissed off. "Go on, say hello," he commanded as he pulled up the boy.

"Yo," he greeted sluggishly. The familiar ashen hair gave his identity away however his face was completely morphed to the point he was unrecognizable. His cheeks were red and swollen to the size of a grapefruit while his hair was completely disheveled and over all, he looked beat up and forced to come."

"Haiza- What happened to your face?!" the tanned boy exclaimed.

"Someone from the second string found him playing at a game center. It was close by so I went out to meet him, and he looked perfectly healthy so I brought him back," Nijimura explained with a mischievous smile.

'_… But he looks like he's on the verge of death now…'_ several people thought as they looked at the duo standing in front of them. Nijimura then had someone get Haizaki dressed into his uniform.

"The starting members will be Akashi, Midorima, Murasakibara, Aomine, and Haizaki," Sanada announced. "Get out there!"

'_The coach is a demon, too!'_

"And Kuroko," Sanada coldy stared at Kuroko, "I'll have you play in the second half. Understood?"

"Yes…" The bluenette nodded, keeping his composure under the pressure he was feeling once more.

The game began and already was the audience cheering and jeering at the teams playing below. Murasakibara was able to get the tip-off as expected with his height. The ball bounced into the hands of Akashi who ran down the court then passed it to Aomine who appeared beside him.

It only took several seconds before the power forward found himself under the hoop. Aomine jumped and with one hand, tossed the ball towards the hoop. The orange sphere circled across the rim of the basket yet it jumped back out and into the hands of the opponents.

"Shit." Aomine was shocked. It was rare for him to miss a shot at all.

"He missed?!" someone from the audience exclaimed. "What's wrong, Teikou? Aren't they kind of sluggish?!"

Akashi and the others panted heavily and sweat was excessively dripping down their skin. It was no surprise to Nijimura, the coach and the rest of the upperclassmen. What more could you expect from middle school students whose bodies haven't developed completely?

"In the end, it comes down to stamina. Now that it's the second match, their performance is deteriorating," Nijimura noted with a serious expression on his face that soon changed into one of comical confusion. "But even so, what the hell's wrong with Haizaki? He's sluggish even though it's his first match."

"Isn't that because Nijimura punished him?" another member of the basketball club asked.

Sanada sternly looked at the team as thoughts processed through his head, adding to what Nijimura had said mentally. '_In a formal tournament, they'd never have two matches in one day, but even so, if matches fall on consecutive days, their fatigue will slowly build up. Teikou players need to be able to maintain their level of play throughout the finals… No, in fact, they need to be at their best then.'_

Teikou continued playing and worry slowly but steadily fell crept onto the faces of those on the bench. The score was 33-31 with Teikou barely in the lead. With such a small gap, there was no room for relief that they were ahead and it was to be expected. Teikou Middle School was not going to except such a win if it meant that they weren't ready or that they weren't strong enough.

"End of the first half!" called out the announcer. "Teikou's barely had any member substitutions since their first match! Is it finally taking its toll?! There's barely any difference in points!"

The players on the court returned to the bench to cool off slightly. It was more than obvious that their bodies were paying the price for playing two matches in one day. There was too much sweat and their breathing was uneven. Fatigue had made their minds foggy making their decisions and movements clumsy.

"Hey, pull it together. If we lose for any reason, you know what'll happen, don't you?" Nijimura asked the freshman who was close to tuning everything out.

"IN the second half, Kuroko will take Haizaki's place. Apart from that, I don't have any other special instructions. I'll leave it to your discretion," the coach explained briefly. Kuroko nodded his head. He furrowed his eyebrows in determination and stood up to get ready.

"I'm glad you're ready to go, Kuroko-kun," Akashi started, "but you'll fail if you do the same things as you did the first match. Crimson pupils gazed at the bluenette with wonder and only to be questioned with confusion.

"Eh?"

"You'll need to adjust the strength of your passes. During the first match, stress was not the only reason your passes weren't connecting. It was because you had matched the speed of your passes to the speed of the second and third strings' movements. The first string moves even faster. Unless you are one step ahead, your passes will miss," the vice-captain explained. "And one more thing. What kind of person has a strong presence?"

"?" Kuroko stared quizzically at the redhead, not sure where he was going with the conversation.

"Perhaps people who have bright personalities? I suppose that's also true. There are many contributing factors, so it's difficult to describe in a word, but… one of the traits of people with attractive personalities are their strong emotions… They're the type who are very expressive, and emote richly. On its own, the concept of misdirection is little more than a fake. It only becomes a great strength when combined with your lack of presence. If you turn your style into a weapon, you should be conscious of your lack of presence, and be able to control it to some extent." Akashi then pointed his index finger out and touched Kuroko's chest with the tip of his finger. "As part of that control, as far as possible, you should avoid allowing your emotions to surface. You need to have fighting spirit but keep it hidden."

Light blue eyes widened slightly in realization in what Akashi was talking about. With that realization, those eyes soon calmed into mysterious orbs that could be seen as expressionless and unmoving. Kuroko took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Murasakibara rubbed his eyes and turned around; wondering what took Akashi and Kuroko so long to get onto the court. Aomine was also curious and moved his eyes to look at the short team members. Two pairs of eyes, one cobalt blue and the other a shimmering violet widened, perplexed at the complete lack of emotion Kuroko now had.

His eyes weren't dead but it was difficult to tell what he was thinking and it was scary. It was as if… he were a phantom, ready to take another victim's life without any remorse.

The second half began. Akashi had controlled the ball and found no opening other than Kuroko who he had noticed, looked all around him, perceiving the openings and routes to where he could pass. It was discreet and it seemed that no one had noticed him.

A small smirk came onto his face and he had passed to Kuroko already knowing who he was going to pass to even though his movements showed no sign of what his thoughts were. No one had noticed because it happened all too fast for anyone to comprehend but if someone had followed the ball from where it had landed, they would have known that it was from Kuroko.

Midorima was shocked. Akashi had passed the ball parallel to where he was running yet it was as if a sudden force like magic made the ball turn almost an exact 90 degrees. Murasakibara noticed this and his pupils dilated.

Haizaki had also seen the sudden turned and was also bewildered. '_The fuck?!'_

With slight hesitation, Midorima jumped and with both hands, shot the ball into the hoop from the three-point line. It went in perfectly and virtually everyone in the gym was baffled at the sudden change of pace in the game.

The opponents started the next game play and as one of the players from the opposing team passed the ball to another, he found it to be intercepted by the small starting player that was barely noticeable. Just as Kuroko palm came in contact with the basketball, he had passed it quickly to his left, the ball powerfully and rapidly rolling off of his palm and finger tips to Aomine's hands.

No one could comprehend what was going on, especially that of the opposing team. Did Teikou had this kind of firepower hidden from them this whole time?

'_What's going on?'_ Murasakibara thought. '_Passes keep coming from Aka-chin's direction with impossible timing. It's making this super easy.'_

_'For there to be such a big difference when he can actually make it work…' _Midorima mentally added, still in a state of astonishment.

_'I've never seen basketball like this before,'_ Haizaki also thought, still unsure if all he was saying was only just a dream.

Nijimura and Sanada kept their faces calm having to experience the same shock everyone was seeing now, beforehand. Even so, it was still amazing and alarming to see.

On that day, they spoke of a player who, though he disappeared soon afterwards, would henceforth be a strange rumor, spoken of only in whispers, whenever Teikou was discussed. "Teikou has a phantom sixth man."

* * *

_A few weeks later…_

"I can't believe you're leaving in a week," Alex said lightly as she walked Junko home that evening from the usual basketball practice. "Do you need any help with packing or anything?"

Junko shook her head. "We got that all done yesterday. All that's left is for me to finish school off this week and then I'm heading back to Japan only to have the weekend to unpack rest and I'm back into school again. That's what happens when the states end their schools in June and Japan's already started school a while ago," she explained.

"Sounds like a pain," the blonde noted and whistled in amusement at the nonstop amount of schoolwork the younger female was going to have.

"This week is only finals and I won't have homework other than studying so I should be fine as long as I relax a bit everyday… Though I say it sounds as if I'm okay, I think I'll start getting a bit depress knowing that I won't see you and Taiga and Tatsu-kun for who knows how long. I had fun this year," Junko admitted while smiling sheepishly.

Alex laughed at this. "Even though Taiga was the one who drove you crazy most of the time?" The blue-eyed girl joined in the laughter, understanding what the ex-WNBA player was talking about.

"Yeah, even if he brought me to the edge of murdering him, I had fun. Our life this year was full of routine but there wasn't one day where something interesting wouldn't happen and it would make my day. Ah, it reminds me that one day when Taiga tripped over his shoelace and his face landed on top of his ice cream and then a dog came to try and lick it off. That was priceless…"

"How long did he run again? An hour? He finished the running part of his training menu that day," Alex said yet tried to stifle anymore laughter.

"As much as I'd like to plan that out so that I can see it for the last time for this week, finals are important and I can't bomb any of them so one day, we're just going to have to plan a reunion and then make sure one of us owns a dog by then." Junko was no doubt happy. It seemed whatever qualms she had with Kagami disappeared (or at least temporarily).

It was obvious that he was trying his best to behave himself seeing how Junko was leaving but seeing how he really was desperately holding onto the ropes of sanity, she decided to push his buttons and test his patience which ended quite well in the end. As a reward for controlling his temper, she had treated him to fifteen hamburgers that day in which he accepted gratefully and found it worth it to be nice to her if he could get free food in return.

As of Himuro, he acted as a mediator if Kagami was about to blow a fuse and so was able to keep the peace. Junko afterwards started to stop her horse-playing and talked to Kagami quite normally to his surprise but the change in attitude towards each other was relaxing and filled with content.

With basketball practice out on the park's courts, it was definitely tiring yet refreshing in the end, just like today. Alex and Junko were walking home from another day of yelling at players on how they could improve to teaching smaller children how to play the sport as well as note taking and diligent observing.

In the end, Junko felt very accomplished for the past few weeks with everything that has been happening as of late. It all started several weeks ago when spring was beginning to sprout and she had gotten news from Akashi that Teikou had won the district tournament with Kuroko being accepted into the first string whole-heartedly. Even though she didn't do much, a part of her felt relieved. It might have been wishful thinking but it was as if through Akashi, she had known each of the freshmen who seemed close to Akashi personally despite her still not knowing what Kuroko looked like at all and Akashi figured it would be better for her to see him for herself when she returned.

The archer had narrowed her eyes at the time as she heard a hint of amusement behind his serious voice. Other than that, she was also glad to hear that he and the other second years were going to play more often as regulars during matches.

Alex sighed with content and her face seemed to be in a serene haze. "I'm gonna miss you," she said suddenly causing Junko to be a surprise only to smile in response.

"I'll miss you too, Alex." The rest of the walk was quiet until they had reached the general location of Junko's neighborhood where they had bid goodbye until the next day.

And so the week went on. Verbal fights were always initiated if Kagami or Junko found something to be irritated about was soon simmered down as soon as someone got Himuro involved. Junko had set up tutoring times for Kagami so that he wouldn't fail his finals with the assistance of Himuro who also said it would give him a good review, even if he was a year older.

Lectures and yelling filled up most of that time when Kagami was either about to fall asleep or he complained about studying. If Junko could be given a nickel every time she sighed throughout the week, she wouldn't know what to do with the money.

Other than that, school had become a time of complete fun and childishness. Her English teacher allowed them to play board games in the classroom for the rest of the week as long as they behaved and her arithmetic teacher had them pull pranks on other math classes that wouldn't cause any harm like spraying whip cream on their faces or teepee-ing their room endless rolls of toilet paper. Her social studies teacher had put up educational videos about animals from sea creatures to those that live in rainforests and other landscapes which weren't all that bad seeing how they get to see the most exotic birds turn into strange shapes and dance to attract a mate during mating season.

During her Spanish class, they were singing karaoke to songs that were in Spanish and they did some roleplaying on a few scripts from Shakespeare and to try to make the most ridiculous scene ever to win a large candy bar of their choice. In chemistry they had done lab experiments with changing a penny from its copper color to that of a golden exterior as well as creating methane bubbles and lighting them on fire only for them to pop into bursting flames and disappearing as fast as they had appeared.

In the end, Junko was practically laughing and smiling throughout the week. It was a warm feeling to feel this way. It was different from when she had left Japan. The world seemed to be carefree here. Even if wounds were created, this world would be able to heal it with the laughter and smiles surrounding her but… she missed home. The place she was raised was where she could truly feel comfortable.

America was like a foreign country to her despite her living there before. Maybe it was because her place there was only temporary. She wouldn't stay long and so she did not fit into the puzzle that was making this world perfect in its own way. She just wasn't meant to stay there.

It was the day before and exams and Junko was walking home. It was quite calm despite Los Angeles being a well-known and busy city. There seemed to be no problems at –

BUMP!

"Oi, watch it!" a familiar voice exclaimed in irritation. Dark red eyes looked up only to see Junko on her butt. It was easy to figure out that he had bumped into said girl so he hurried by her side and helped her stand.

"Sorry about that Kasumi. Didn't see you there," he apologized.

"It's fine. Why are you in a rush, Taiga?" Junko asked as she dusted her pants off.

"Actually I was going to find you. Alex and Tatsuya want me to take you to the usual place since we have something we need to talk to you about," the taller teen explained.

"I see… Well, if that's the case, why not?" With that, Junko followed Taiga to the fast food joint the both of them and Himuro and Alex would meet up at from time to time just for lunch.

As they approached the building, she could see Himuro and Alex talking to each other from behind the glass window. As if she knew they were approaching, Alex looked at Junko and Kagami and waved to them. Himuro gave his own sign of acknowledgement with a kind smile.

"So what's the meeting about?" Junko asked after she and Kagami entered the double doors and were now at the table Himuro and Alex sat at.

"Sit down and we'll tell you~" Alex said in a sing song voice. Junko took a seat next to the blonde while Kagami sat next to Himuro. Once done, Alex foldered her hands together and rested her chin on top of them. "So, you'll be leaving the day after tomorrow, right?" she asked.

"If my empty house and packed boxes aren't proof for someone who is moving, then I don't know what is," Junko said thought not entirely sure where the three were heading at.

"We just wanted to give you presents before you left," Himuro explained.

"Aw, I wanted it to be a surprise," Alex pouted at the dark haired teen.

"You'd prolong what we initially wanted to do, Alex," Himuro deadpanned but with a smile on his face.

Junko giggled and shook her head. "There's no need for you guys to do that though I guess this means that you bought it already. If that's the case, I'll take a look at them," she suggested.

Kagami grunted. "It sounds like you're going to be picky and only take the ones you want."

"I'm not that cold of a person, Taiga," the girl defended and stuck her tongue at the taller teen.

"I beg to differ," he murmured only to have a travel pack size of tissues thrown at his face. Junko, Himuro, and Alex turned their heads away and began talking, as if Kagami getting hit by something thrown by the black haired girl was completely normal and harmless. He sat down with an irritated expression upon his face.

Alex smiled brightly and picked up a small box about the size of a book and slid it down the table to Junko.

As if it were a fragile piece of glass, Junko gently settled it on the palm of her hand and opened the lid. Junko's eyes sparkled at the sight in front of her and a warm and giddy light was emitted. Kagami and Himuro could have sworn they saw hearts and sparkles floating around the girl.

"I… It's amazing Alex! Thank you so much!" The archer exclaimed with glee as she hugged the blonde. "For you to get me the limited edition of the Golden Panda collection… How?!"

What laid in the box was a stuff animal, a panda to be exact. If one were to look at it closely, the man-made fur was as soft as silk and the eyes were a beautiful dark brown, like chocolate. Around the neck of the miniature panda was a white ribbon tied into a bow with its edges embroidered with pastel blue thread. The supposedly padded paws of the bear-like toy were much softer than a pillow and were glittered with gold-colored dust. This was the exclusive Golden Edition of the Gold Panda company's line of products relating to pandas as its name suggests.

Junko had already collected 50 out of 500 pandas excluding the one she had just been given. It was heard that there were only ten of the Golden Edition in the entire world and for the legendary toy being presented and given to her right in front of her eyes was at the borderline of a dream.

Alex winked at the girl and placed a finger against her lips. "I have a few connections here and there," she vaguely explained. Junko didn't care though because she had the stuff animal right in front of her face.

"I feel like I should repay you Alex. To receive such a present is more than what we've been through in the past year," Junko said, her eyes still dazzling.

"Well, if you really want to – Mmph!" Himuro covered Alex's mouth and smiled at the black-haired girl.

"We're celebrating that time we've been together before you go, Kasumi. Think of it as a go-away present," the black haired mail urged. Junko nodded her head without hesitance with her aura sparkling even more. Kagami scooted away from her as far as possible.

"I'll treasure it forever," Junko claimed. She hugged the stuff toy against her chest as if it were her precious baby. Kagami concluded that something was definitely not right in the head of Junko. Her reactions were way too out of character for comfort. "His name will be Jeffrey Minamoto."

An awkward silence fell on the group as they looked at the girl who seemed oblivious to their reactions.  
"Why Jeffrey Minamoto?" Himuro asked calmly though the name was a bit disturbing.

"Because it strangely fits each other," came Junko's reasoning.

"I see. Well, here's my present," Himuro said, successfully changing the topic. He gave Junko a small green bag decorated with geometrical shapes of lighter tints and darker shades of the color which overlapped each other. White tissue paper were stuffed at the top that Junko took out and laying them next to the bag.

She stuck her hand inside and felt something hard yet a bit flimsy against her fingers. The surface was pretty smooth other than the noticeable small bumps from the tape, keeping whatever it was together. Grabbing onto the item, Junko easily deducted that it was a box. As she lifted the box up, she noticed that it was a bit heavy for something so small. Once it was out of the box, her widens in surprise and confusion.

"A camera?" she asked. Her eyes met Himuro and he only smiled in response. He then turned his head slightly towards Kagami and nodded at him.

The redhead grunted and bent down to get a book that was under the table.

"A book? A photo album… What is this, Taiga? Tatsu-kun?" Junko looked quizzically at them and tilted her head to the side.

"It's for you to keep your memories in," Alex explained cheerfully. "We figured you'd be the kind of person who'd go to a lot of places and wanted to find a way to remember all of those precious memories so we thought we'd go buy you a pretty decent digital camera and a photo album. So, do you like it?"

There was no answer. Rather there was the sound of sniffling as Junko covered her face with her bangs. Kagami panicked. This was the second time in his life that he had experienced a girl crying, the first being when he accidently pushed a girl while he was playing tag when he was in kindergarten.

"Oi! Don't cry. Okay, I get it, these weren't the best presents to give –"

SMACK! The same package of tissue paper was thrown at him by Junko except with tears streaming down her face.

"B- Bakagami…. Th-That's not why I'm c-crying. I'm just… r-really happy," Junko explained between sniffles. "I r-really wish I had t-thought of this… sooner."

Kagami was speechless as were Himuro and Alex. He then sighed and ruffled Junko's hair making her a bit irritated now the touched.

"Then why don't we do as much as we can right now with taking pictures. In that way you won't regret it and I won't have to see you ball your eyes out. Deal?" Junko stared wide eyed at Kagami who became uncomfortable under her calculative gaze.

A warm smile crept onto her face and she nodded. "Deal."

* * *

_Two days later…_

"We are here, Seijuurou-dono," Gregory announced as he parked the car into the parking garage.

"Finally." Akashi was relieved to be able to get out of the vehicle and stretch after several hours of driving from Tokyo to Kyoto. All he could say was that the traffic in Tokyo was horrendous. How did he deal with it before?

The door opened and Akashi exited the car and headed towards the entrance of a building. The automatic doors slid open and he entered in the wide room with cold air rushing into his face. He was in a baggage claim area with throngs of people crowding the room waiting to claim their luggage.

The redhead stood to the side and looked up in search of a television screen with the name of flights and their arrivals. He saw two, one on top of another on a pillar displaying the different flights and what time they would land.

_'5 more minutes…'_ he thought. Before her flight, Junko had called him, telling him what time she would be arriving. Seeing how she had left almost three hours after her finals in America, he figured he would be facing with a tired teenage girl when she arrived. Junko was the type to stay up for a whole car trip and then sleep right when they are done packing after arriving after their destination.

He sighed from exhaustion of just sitting in the car for what seemed like forever and the fact he was surrounded by many people who were happily chatting away. He couldn't blame them yet at the same time Akashi would have liked a little bit more reserve in socializing since. As much as he'd like to say it was for those who just came into the country from a long flight, he himself was tired and would like some quiet.

Without him knowing, minutes passed and slowly, he allowed his mind to drift away even though his red eyes were staring straight in front of him with a piercing gaze. Those five minutes were over and Akashi looked around for anyone familiar. There was no one yet.

Deciding it was better for him to move around than to fall asleep in an airport, he began to roam around in search of a black haired girl with blue eyes and her family… and probably her cat as well.

Sapphire eyes landed upon a redhead that vibrantly stood out of the massive crowd and they glimmered with excitement.

"Daddy, can you hold onto Kohaku? I see Seijuurou over there." Junko handed the cage to her father who willingly took it seeing how excited his daughter was.

"Why not? Make sure to stay domesticated as you can while we're in public places. We can't have you chasing anyone down out of anger," Hiroto warned.

Junko pouted in response. "That was only with Taiga, Daddy. I don't think Akashi would allow it either so it'd be worse if I did act out of impulse." Hiroto laughed and patted her head.

"Don't forget to bring him over here. We're going to need help with some of the luggage," Temaki reminded.

"I won't. Why wouldn't he though. I'm pretty sure he's the kind to go and greet others that he knows, Mommy."

"I know. I'm just saying though. Hurry up and fetch him, he's getting farther away. I think he's looking for us," her mother added. With that Junko jogged through the crowd and towards the redhead.

It was as if Akashi could feel a presence coming towards him. Specifically him. He turned his head around to see a familiar girl running towards him.

"Seijuurou!" she called out. Akashi was now fully facing toward her and was ready to walk in her direction until he noticed she wasn't slowing down.

Junko launched herself at the redhead and was able to successfully hug him. She buried her face in his chest at the warmth he emitted. It was nostalgic and it was comfortable.

"You shouldn't be running, Kasumi. The next thing you'll know, your face will end up kissing the floor."

The blue-eyed girl stuck her tongue out playfully at the redhead. "I might be an airhead at times but I'm not a klutz," she countered. A soft smile then formed on her face which then turned into a sheepish grin. "Anyway," she started, "I'm home, Seijuurou."

The boy's crimson eyes softened and a small smile of his own formed on his face. "Welcome back, Kasumi."

* * *

_A/N: and so my next author's note. If anyone was wondering, I do archery hence all the confusing terms in the beginning. I would put a list of what they are but I think it'd be better if I could add a visual however since that is not the case, I will not add descriptions because I am tired and adding more definitions for terms takes a lot of effort XP_

_I kind of wanted Junko to have an archery coach appear in the story but then it'd turn out for me to have an OC character that does not have much to do with the storyline so I left one out. I said I wanted her to have a coach because I have a coach whose name is Eric Bennett and some (or maybe none) knows about him. Coach Eric was not only my archery instructor but was also my engineering teacher who had lost one arm in a car accident when he was in high school. It wasn't until years later he took up archery again, even with one arm from the encouragement from his father. Ever since then, he trained himself to be a world-known archer and had earned fourth place last year for the U.S. in the 2012 Paralympics. So this is kind of a tribute to him even though he will never know of this story at all._

_It makes me happy to know people are still reading though it seems that everyone is busy seeing how not as many people review as they used to =.= Well, school is starting and I can't expect too much while we're busy. _

_So yeah, that's it. Please drop a review of what you guys think! Constructive criticism is much appreciated!_


End file.
